Out of His Element
by LovelyGucci
Summary: For someone who's good at everything, women are still a mystery to the world's greatest detective.
1. Stereotypes

Disclaimer: We own nothing of Death Note...unfortunately (I want L).

A/N: This is so exciting! Our first Death Note fic! For those who don't know, LoonyDooney is a partnership kinda thing. We've written 9 stories together already and now this one! Seriously, Death Note has been one of my fave obsessions so far! Anyway...even rambling.

This story has lots of spoilers from the show so you should probably be careful if you haven't already finished it. We hope you guys like it since we put a lot of work in it! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Stereotypes**

Miya doodled in her notebook as she sat quietly in her desk. She was a little early and had nothing to do until class started. Finally as class time neared, students began to file into the classroom. Everyone was chatting casually with each other, and Miya couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversations as she completed her masterpiece of squiggly lines. They seemed to revolve around the two new freshmen, Light Yagami and Hideki Ryuga and how amazing they were. Miya had never actually met them but she had seen them around campus a few times.

Light Yagami was extremely handsome, with light brown hair and brown eyes to match. He was tall, athletic-looking, and obviously a genius to be able to get a perfect score on the exam. He was very popular around the school, and Miya always saw him with a different girl.

Hideki Ryuga seemed like the complete opposite of Light. Contrary to what his name made you think of, he was nowhere near as handsome as the actual actor, Hideki Ryuga. He had raven hair and onyx eyes that were emphasized by the dark circles under them. It looked like he had never slept a day in his life, though his hair gave off that just rolled out of bed feeling. His fashion sense wasn't any better. He was always wearing a plain white shirt and jeans, and his feet were crammed in old sneakers without any socks. Apparently he was a genius, seeing as he also got the highest score on the exam. However that seemed to be the only thing he and Light shared.

Before Miya even realized it, the class had begun. Health Concepts was a required class at the university and since Miya had just transferred there for her sophomore year, she hadn't taken it as a freshman. She looked around at her other classmates and saw that Hideki and Light were in the class as well, sitting next to each other.

'They must be friends,' Miya thought to herself, though the idea of that seemed strange.

Miya turned back to the front of the class to see the professor writing several random and unrelated words on the board. The words Loner, Jock, Popular, Friendly, and Nerd were visible as the professor turned to face the class.

"You see these words?" the professor asked. "These are some broad terms that can be used to describe people in this classroom. Let's see," the professor began looking around the classroom until his eyes landed on Miya, "Miss Yamaguchi, using one of the words up here, please describe Mr. Ryuga."

Miya looked up quickly from her desk at the sound of her name and immediately blushed. She was supposed to describe Ryuga? She didn't even know him! She glanced across the room and met the gaze of Hideki. He had a blank look on his face and for some reason Miya felt even more embarrassed.

"Well, Miss Yamaguchi?" the professor pressed.

"I've never spoken to Hideki Ryuga before," Miya explained. "I wouldn't know which group to place him in."

"Regardless, when you see him, what do you think?" The professor was persistent, and Miya was feeling cornered.

Miya glanced at the board again and tried to decide. Without looking anyone in the eye, she sighed. "Loner, I guess."

There was scattered laughter in the classroom and Miya couldn't bring herself to look at Ryuga. She felt so embarrassed.

"That was tough," the professor chuckled. Miya would have glared if her eyes weren't glued to the desk. "That would be an example of a stereotype," he continued as he turned away from her toward the other students. "People tend to have a preconceived idea of what a person is like before they have even met them. Therefore, today we are going to work on our social wellness. Half of the room is going to pull a name out of this hat and in it will be a name of one of your classmates from the other half of the room. You will have a list of things to do together. You're free to wander around campus, but you are to stay on campus. Let's see what you can learn about your partner." He then walked over to the side of the room, where Miya was. She reached her hand in the hat and pulled it out.

"Who'd you get?" The professor seemed to really enjoy picking on her today.

"…Hideki Ryuga…"

The professor chuckled again. "Karma sure knows how to bite you in the ass, huh?"

* * *

Miya walked awkwardly beside Hideki as they made their way outside. He was slouched over, making him a head shorter than he should have been. He hadn't said anything to her since they'd started and it just made her feel more uncomfortable.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the loner comment," Miya tried apologizing. "I really didn't mean to embarrass you."

"You didn't embarrass me," he replied curtly, not even bothering to glance at her.

She gave him a strange look. "Really?"

"I assure you, Miss Yamaguchi, that I did not take offense to your comment." He then faced her for the first time since they'd walked outside. "Now, what is our first task?"

Miya looked down at the paper that was in her hand. "Tell your partner something that he/she doesn't know about you," she read aloud. "Hmm…"

"What is it?" Ryuga asked curiously, his gaze now focused on her.

"Shouldn't the professor put into consideration that Kira is at large and spilling secrets to strangers could be dangerous? I mean Kira could be anyone and we're just going to tell our life stories?"

"Good point Miss Yamaguchi," Ryuga said. "But actually, Kira only needs a name and a face to kill."

Miya half-smiled. "That's not very reassuring. It's not that hard to get a name."

"Kira also goes after criminals. Unless you're a big-time criminal, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." Miya couldn't help but feel awkward as he spoke to her. He'd spent the first half of their walk avoiding her gaze, and now he wouldn't look away. He didn't even seem to blink.

Miya shrugged and tried to focus on their conversation instead. "Well there's nothing wrong with being cautious, right?" When Ryuga didn't reply, she proceeded in answering the question. "Ok well, I'm adopted. I don't know my real parents but my adoptive dad is Japanese while my mom is American. Your turn."

"I like sweets. They're very helpful for the brain and help with deductive skills," Ryuga replied easily. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued to walk slowly. Miya followed, relieved to be out of the spotlight of his stare.

"Wow, I didn't know that. That's really interesting. What's your favorite sweet?"

"Strawberries are the best."

Miya brightened. "I love strawberries! Who knew we'd have something in common?"

"That was the objective of the assignment I suppose," Ryuga said. Miya nodded before continuing.

"Ok, next question. We're supposed to talk about current events. Can we get any more current than Kira?"

"Yes," Ryuga agreed. "I have been wondering what your opinion on the matter is." Miya wasn't sure why that was, but they were getting along so she decided to answer.

"Well, to be honest, the thought of killing awful criminals sounds good because the world could do without them, but to have some random person decide who deserves to die or not is extremely creepy. What if Kira suddenly gets bored and decides to kill innocent people? I think Kira needs to be stopped at all costs." Miya couldn't help but feel that she was sounding a little lame, but Ryuga didn't seem to mind.

"I agree," he told her. "That was nicely put by the way. Very enthusiastic."

"Thank you," Miya smiled, choosing to take that as a compliment. "And you know, I think that detective L is going to be the one to bring him down."

"Is that so?" Ryuga asked curiously.

Miya nodded. "I've heard a lot of people talking about him, saying how he's an idiot and stuff, but I don't believe that. I think he's our only hope." Miya was feeling lame again and couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking of her 'go justice!' opinions.

"I'm sure L would appreciate that sentiment,' Ryuga said after a pause. "What's next on the list?"

"Where do you think you'll be in five years?" Miya read, thankful to be moving on from the Kira discussion as the two made their way towards a bench. As Miya went to sit down, she couldn't help but notice the unusual way Ryuga sat. His legs were brought up to his chest and he placed his hands on his knees. Miya thought he resembled a gargoyle and was suddenly picturing him perched on the edge of a castle.

"Is something wrong?" Ryuga asked, observing her hesitance.

"Nothing…it's just that, um…that's an unusual way to sit. Are you comfortable?"

"This has nothing to do with comfort. If I were to sit normally, my deductive ability would drop forty percent."

Something suddenly clicked in Miya's mind, distracting her from his strange answer. "Deductive ability, huh? That's the second time you've said that. Do you want to be a detective or something?"

"Very perceptive of you," Ryuga observed, putting his thumb to his lip in thought. "Why yes. I would like to be the world's greatest detective and be the one to bring Kira down."

"What a coincidence," Miya smiled. "Seems like we have something else in common, Mr. Ryuga." Miya had always had an interest in being a detective, though she wasn't sure she was reaching for something as ambitious as bringing Kira down. Either way, their conversation had turned out to be much more interesting than she'd imagined it would.

* * *

The assignment didn't last much longer, as Ryuga and Miya had gone through everything relatively fast. The whole point of the project was to get to know someone that you wouldn't normally hang out with and to see that they probably weren't what you would expect. That was definitely true with Ryuga, and while Miya felt like she did get to know him a little better, he still seemed like a complete mystery to her. For some reason, she had the feeling that Hideki did that on purpose.

What could he be hiding?

As she walked across campus, she saw a large group of students surrounding the tennis courts. She was planning on ignoring whatever spectacle everyone was staring at but curiosity got the best of her. She made her way over to see what everyone was gawking at and was extremely surprised to see Light Yagami and Hideki Ryuga playing an intense game of tennis. What was even more surprising was that they were tied.

Miya almost dropped her jaw in shock. She could see Light being an amazing athlete…but Ryuga? That was definitely a surprise. They both seemed to be playing effortlessly and the crowd was getting more excited. Miya felt her own interest growing as she inched toward the fence to get a better view.

After a moment, however, Miya glanced down at her watch and was disappointed. She really wanted to see the outcome of this match but she would be late if she didn't leave now. She grudgingly walked away, but not before giving Ryuga one last look. She still couldn't believe he was actually playing tennis that well. He glanced at her for a second and then continued playing the game.

* * *

Miya was relieved as she pulled up in front of the day care center. Phew, she'd made it on time! If she was late again, she was sure they would slap a monster late fee on her, and that was something she really didn't want to worry about.

"Hi mommy!" A little boy around three years old giggled as he ran up to Miya excitedly, holding onto a stuffed panda. He had light brown hair and vibrant green eyes.

"Hey sweetie," Miya said with a smile. "Ready to go home?"

The little boy nodded and lifted his hand, indicating for Miya to grab hold of it. She held his small hand in hers as they began their trek home.

Noah Yamaguchi was the whole reason Miya was even alive, or at least that's what it felt like to her. She had never loved anyone as much as she loved her son. She was very young when she had him, only being fifteen, and even though she was sure her life would be easier if she wasn't a teenage mom, she wouldn't have it any other way.

Noah's father had been Miya's boyfriend for three years. She really loved him and would have done anything for him, and she'd thought he'd felt the same. As soon as he found out she was pregnant however, he left her without hesitance.

Luckily, Miya's parents had been there for her. Though they couldn't hide their disappointment, they'd allowed her to stay living with them until she was able to fully support herself and Noah. In fact, they'd insisted. Miya couldn't help but feel extremely lucky, especially since she was still living with them. She was trying her hardest to save up for a place of her own, but paying for school and day care took all the money she could earn from her waitressing job. Her mother had offered to watch Noah while Miya was away, but she'd refused. How could she ask her parents to be her personal day care center after everything else they'd done for her? No that was out of the question. It was bad enough that they had to watch him some nights while she was at work! She'd just have to make due with what she could.

"How was your day sweetie?" Miya asked the small boy as they walked hand in hand.

"Good!" Noah answered happily. "We had gam crackas for snack!" Miya chuckled as Noah continued. "How was yo' day mommy?"

"Good," Miya answered with a smile. That wasn't exactly true, as her day could be more described as strange, but Noah didn't need to know all that. But yes…her day was strange indeed.

* * *

Miya was leaning on the podium at the front of the restaurant, waiting for customers to walk in. She had eaten dinner at her house and then gotten ready for the evening shift at work, which sadly looked like it was going to turn into a night shift as well, seeing as they were short staffed today. That was why Miya had the fabulous job of not only waitressing, but also hosting.

Her interest suddenly peaked, however, as she saw Hideki Ryuga and Light Yagami approaching the restaurant. Did they really hang out together? Apparently so, as Light opened the door and headed into the restaurant, followed by Ryuga.

"Miss Yamaguchi," Ryuga said politely with a head nod when he saw her, though he couldn't help but be surprised. Light barely acknowledged her as she grabbed two menus.

"Right this way," she said awkwardly, turning away from them and leading them toward a table.

"You know her?" Miya heard Light ask.

"From class," Ryuga answered simply as they reached the table. Miya began to set their tables down when she heard Light speak.

"Excuse me but could you possibly find us a table in the back?" Miya paused for a moment, realizing he was speaking to her.

"Um, sure no problem," she said with a nod, picking the menus up off the table and heading toward the part of the restaurant where virtually no one ever sat. Why they would need to sit back there was a mystery to her.

"This better?" she asked when they reached the booth. Light nodded.

"Yes thank you," he said, sitting down. Ryuga slid into the seat across from him and instantly pulled his knees up to his chest.

"This coffee shop is one of my favorites in the area," Light said casually as Miya placed the menu in front of him. "And if we sit here there's no chance of anyone overhearing us." Miya was trying to act casual, but that was a suspicious statement. Why would it matter if someone overheard them?

"Thanks for showing me this place," Ryuga replied as Miya handed him his menu. "I can see why you like it." Miya was certain he was just being polite, as he had barely looked at the restaurant since they'd arrived. Other than acknowledging her existence, Ryuga's focus had been on Light one hundred percent. He was practically staring, just like earlier when they'd done their project.

Miya proceeded to pull out her notepad as Light proceeded to speak. "Not to mention we're so out of the way here no one is going to give you a hard time about the way you sit." Miya had to hold back a laugh, and wound up snorting. She instantly tried to cover it with a not so convincing cough, and Light glanced up at her curiously.

"Excuse me," she said, patting her throat as a final scene to her act. Light shrugged and turned away from her, and Ryuga continued as if nothing happed.

"I don't sit like this because I want to. I have to sit like this. You see if I were to sit normally my deductive skills would be reduced by roughly forty percent. So, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"Um…what can I get you to drink?" Miya said slowly. She didn't want to interrupt their conversation, but neither of them was paying attention to her and she wasn't going to stand there all day.

"Tea please," Light said quickly, glancing up at her for a moment before looking back at Ryuga. Miya scribbled it down quickly and looked to the dark haired man to her right.

"I'll have a coffee. And please bring extra sugar cubes to the table." He didn't even break his gaze from Light as he said this, or as she scribbled it down. Why did he stare at people all the time? It was really starting to bother Miya, and she had the sudden urge to clap right in front of his face to see if he would blink. He probably wouldn't.

"Okay, be back in a flash," Miya said before walking away. She was almost to the kitchen when she heard Light speak again. He was speaking so low she could barely hear him, but what he said definitely caught her interest.

"Right, I'm sure that can wait until you're convinced that I'm not Kira. But please let's talk about whatever you want to." Miya froze for a moment before realizing she probably looked stupid. Did he just say Kira? And why would Ryuga suspect Light Yagami of something like that? She continued her walking in confusion.

"You're under no obligation to do this, but would you mind submitting yourself to a test of your deductive reasoning skills?" Miya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She wasn't sure what kind of conversation they were having, but it sure was a weird one. She rushed to get their drinks, anxious to get back out there and eavesdrop. She burst through the kitchen door, much to the confusion of her co workers in the kitchen, and then slowed to a normal paced walk, the tray of drinks in her hands.

"Very interesting…" she heard Light say as she reached the table. He had cards spread out in front of him, and he appeared to be thinking about them deeply. Ryuga was staring him down, unblinking, apparently awaiting his reaction.

"Here are your drinks," Miya said, placing the tea in front of Light and the coffee in front of Ryuga, followed by a bowl full of sugar cubes.

"Thank you," Ryuga said quickly. He seemed reluctant to look away from Light as he reached for the sugar cubes and dropped the whole bowl into his coffee. Miya stared at him in awe, as there must have been about fifteen sugar cubes in that bowl.

"Wow you really do like sweets," she commented. When he didn't answer, she sighed and turned away from the table, heading back for the kitchen.

"It'd be quite amazing to learn that not only could Kira kill others, but could also control his victims actions." Miya heard Light say. She was instantly overwhelmed with curiosity again, and looked around for a spot to hide. She settled for standing just around the corner, in a spot where they couldn't see her but she could still hear. Part of her was saying that she really shouldn't be doing this, but she quickly told that part to shut up as she settled in to listen.

"I think Kira wrote these and it seems he's encoded a message for you as well. Almost as if he's mocking you. If you line these notes up side by side, and take a look at the first letter of every line it reveals a message. Rearranging it like this…gives you…L do you know Gods of Death love apples. But there are obvious print numbers on the back of all these photographs. Arrange it in that order we get…L do you know love apples Gods of Death. That doesn't sound right and based on that it's hard to believe Kira would have wanted you to read it this way." L? Gods of Death? And why would Kira be sending messages to Ryuga?

"That's incorrect," she heard Ryuga reply. "The truth is there are actually four photographs. When we add this one it reads…L, do you know gods of death who love apples have red hands?"

'This must be part of the deductive test Ryuga was talking about giving Light,' Miya thought to herself as the two continued on with their conversation. Her head was spinning now, though it really wasn't any of her business. It just seemed like a strange conversation for Light Yagami, one of the most popular boys in school, to be having with Hideki Ryuga

"Um, Miya, what are you doing?" a co worker said as she approached. She had long blonde hair and dark brown eyes, and was looking at Miya with confusion.

"Oh…um nothing just…"

"They need you in the kitchen. Table four's order is ready." Miya sighed and reluctantly stepped away from the wall and the conversation to serve the customers. It took her much longer than she'd hoped, and when she was finally back in her hiding spot, she hoped the conversation was still going. Luckily for her, Light was in the middle of a long speech.

"…But I know that I am not Kira," he was saying, "and I certainly don't want to be killed by him. Besides what proof have you been able to give me that you yourself aren't Kira? I mean it hardly seems fair for just one of us to be investigated wouldn't you say? At this point, neither of us can prove that we're not Kira. However if you are in fact L, I can't imagine it would be that hard for you to prove it to me. I think I'd be convinced if say, my father or someone else from the task force headquarters was able to confirm your identity. If you can't do that then I'm afraid I just won't be able to help you." Miya was amazed by how much Light Yagami could talk, and she was also amazed by what she was hearing. Why was Light defending himself against being Kira? And why was Ryuga suspecting him of it in the first place? Could he be L like Light was suggesting?

"I don't remember saying you couldn't meet anyone from task force headquarters to verify my identity. I am currently working alongside your father, as well as several other detectives from the NPA. Now if I understand you correctly and I take you to task force headquarters, you'll help us with the investigation. Am I safe in making this assumption?" Miya was completely thrown. Hideki Ryuga was working with the NPA. Maybe he was L. No, it was just too crazy. It was then that Ryuga's phone rang, and Miya took this opportunity to check on their table.

"Can I get you anything else?" she said politely. Light's phone had rung too, and so naturally no one answered her. It seemed she had walked in on something very serious, however, as both of their faces turned grave.

"Light it's your…" Ryuga said quickly.

"….my father," Light finished. "He had a heart attack." Both of them then instantly jumped up from the table and ran for the exit of the restaurant, leaving Miya standing there staring after them.

"Um…your bill…" she said, more to herself, as she knew they wouldn't hear her. Great, her boss was gonna kill her for that. She decided to simply not mention it, and maybe no one would notice that customers had left without paying. Miya sighed and picked up their cups, feeling very confused. Could Light be Kira? And could Ryuga be L? No, it was too insane. It was just too impossible. But for some reason, Miya couldn't get it out of her mind as she continued to the kitchen.


	2. Panda

A/N: Wow! The response for the first chapter was really great! How exciting! I'm glad you guys are intersted and I promise you it will get better as the story goes on. One thing, can someone PM me about L's real name because I'm a little confused about it and a little clarity would be nice. Thanks!

Well anyway, here's the next chapter! Noah and L meet! Please review!

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**Chapter 2: Panda**

Miya cursed as she rushed into the classroom. She had accidentally slept in after a late shift the night before, and so had to hurry that morning to get herself ready as well as to get Noah to day care. She ended up missing her first class of the day and was sure she was going to be late for Health Concepts.

After practically running across the entire campus, Miya was relieved when the building finally came into view, and she slowed her pace so she wouldn't look a mess when she walked in.

"Hello again, Miss Yamaguchi," Miya heard from behind her. She turned around to see Hideki Ryuga heading in the same direction.

Miya smiled. "Hey Ryuga." She slowed down enough to where she was walking alongside him. "Was everything okay?"

Ryuga looked at her curiously but didn't say anything. Miya realized she wasn't making much sense and so started to elaborate.

"Well you left the restaurant in such a hurry and I haven't seen you in a few days. A heart attack, right? Was that person okay?"

"Yes," Ryuga replied. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and stared straight ahead. "It was brought on by stress, but everything is okay now." Miya nodded, relived to hear Kira hadn't claimed yet another victim. They reached the door of their classroom and stepped inside, thankfully on time.

"Well that's good. I guess a heart attack is a legitimate reason to skip out on the bill," Miya said smartly. Before Ryuga could reply, she left his side to sit on the opposite end of the classroom. Ryuga stared after her for a few seconds before taking his seat next to Light.

Miya willed herself not to look back at him as the rest of the students filled the room. She regretted letting that heartless comment slip from her mouth, but she was still annoyed. She got into huge trouble that night thanks to her fleeing customers and she was starting to resent Ryuga for it.

Before she could dwell on the situation anymore, the professor walked into the room and turned to face the class. He just looked like he had something in store for the poor students, and Miya suddenly wished she hadn't come to school at all that day.

"Well class, we're still discussing social wellness and I have a new exercise for you!" the professor began. There was some groaning throughout the class, and Miya was definitely included in that group. The last thing she wanted to do was spend more time with Ryuga, but the professor seemed dead set on making that fear a reality. "Today, with the same partners you had from last time, I want you to work on social wellness off campus. I don't care where you go as long as you are not on school grounds. You can carry out this assignment sometime today, and I expect a full report next class. Now, if everyone would turn to page fifty-six."

Miya grumbled. This day was just getting better and better.

* * *

For their project, Miya agreed to go with Ryuga to get some ice cream. He seemed really keen on the idea, probably for the pure fact that he was getting ice cream out of it since he loved sweets. Miya really wasn't looking forward to it. Even though it was an assignment, it still had the feel of a date to it and that was something Miya didn't really want.

Another problem was that Miya had to take Noah with her. Both her parents were working late and couldn't watch him, not that she wanted to dump him on them in the first place. It was just that she wasn't sure she wanted her son to meet Ryuga. But Noah was excited about the ice cream and so Miya decided they would just have to make the best of the situation.

As she brushed her long, light brown hair into a ponytail, she contemplated her sudden dislike for Ryuga. She really had no reason to dislike him in the first place. He seemed friendly enough, if not a little eccentric. It was probably more annoyance than anything. Not only did he not pay the bill last night, but he was also going against the whole point of this Health Concepts project. They were supposed to be getting to know each other but Miya still felt like she knew next to nothing about Ryuga. Other than his love for sweets, he was a complete mystery and that was frustrating her more than anything.

"Are we gon' get ice cweam now?" Noah asked excitedly, running into Miya's room. He jumped on her bed and looked at her expectantly.

"Yup," Miya replied with a smile. "Let's go." The two left the house and rode the bus downtown to the designated ice cream shop. It was a quaint little store with small tables outside and inside, and a colorful sign that promised delicious ice cream to customers. Hopefully this visit would be as pleasant as that cheerful little sign.

As Miya and Noah entered, she saw that Ryuga was already there. He was sitting patiently in that odd gargoyle position, staring off blankly. There was no ice cream in front of him and Miya assumed he was waiting for her.

"Hey Ryuga," Miya said politely as she approached the table. "Sorry we're late. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"No, I just got here as well," he replied, snapping into reality at the sound of his name. He then eyed Noah, unsure of what to make of him. The little boy took one glance at Ryuga, with his dark eyes and un kept appearance, and decided to hide behind his mother.

Miya looked down at him and chuckled slightly before turning back to Ryuga. "This is my son, Noah."

Ryuga was surprised, that much was evident from the wide eyed expression on his face, but Miya had been expecting this. That look was on the face of every person who found out she had a son, and she was used to it by now.

"Noah, this is a friend of mine, Hideki Ryuga." Miya said warmly to her son. Noah didn't seem to want to look back at the strange man in front of him, and instead stayed safely hidden. She gave Ryuga an apologetic look and proceeded to move to the counter, gently picking Noah up as she went. "Which flavor do you want sweetie?"

He excitedly chose chocolate, momentarily forgetting his fear, while Miya chose strawberry. After they ordered, they sat back at the table and waited patiently for Ryuga to choose his desert. Both Yamaguchi's were surprised to see the amount of ice cream he had when he returned to his seat. He had ordered a waffle cone, but it was stacked considerably high with many different flavors.

"That's a lot," Noah said in awe, speaking for the first time since he met Ryuga. Apparently all it took to break through the silence was a load of ice cream.

"Sugar is good for the brain," Ryuga explained simply. He dug into the ice cream with vigor, almost forgetting that Miya and Noah were there. "It helps me think clearly."

"Mommy, I wanna think cleawly too!" Noah said turning to Miya. "Then I can be a gweat detective! I need mo suga'!"

Ryuga stopped mid-bite. "Does everyone in your family want to be a detective, Miss Yamaguchi?"

Miya shook her head with a slight laugh. "He started watching the children's movie, The Great Mouse Detective, and ever since then, he's wanted to be a detective."

Noah nodded enthusiastically. "I wanna be like Basil! Or like that man L! He's good too!" Noah then dug back into his chocolate, getting it all over his face in the process.

Ryuga couldn't help but think how interesting the both of them were as he watched Miya wipe Noah's mouth with a napkin. They both seemed to like detective work…and L. Maybe meeting with them wasn't as pointless as he had originally assumed.

"Miss Yamaguchi," Ryuga started, "regarding the other day, did you happen to hear anything Light and I were discussing at the table?" That caught Miya off guard, but she quickly tried to cover her surprise. She didn't want to give herself away, but she couldn't help but wonder if she was really that obvious when she was eavesdropping? If that was the case, she knew now not to consider a career in espionage.

"When I was waitressing?" Miya said nonchalantly. "No, I wasn't listening. Besides, I had other customers to serve."

"I see," Ryuga said, taking another bite of his ice cream. "Well, I would like to test your deductive ability, if that's alright. I managed to get my hands on some Kira related information, and since you want to be a detective, I figured this could help."

Miya raised an eyebrow. How odd. She shrugged and decided to accept his challenge. He pulled out three pictures of letters from Kira's victims, and Miya immediately recognized them as the pictures Ryuga had had Light take a look at. Miya instantly realized she'd gotten herself caught in a trap, and a complicated one at that. Miya was never good at lying, and this would surely require some bluffing if she didn't want Ryuga to know she'd been snooping. She really wasn't sure what to do. If she answered the puzzle correctly, since she did know the answer from the other day, would he conclude that she had been eavesdropping? He would call her out on it and that would be embarrassing, not to mention he might get mad. If she didn't solve it correctly, though, he would probably think she was stupid and not good enough to be a detective. That didn't exactly sound great either.

During Miya's internal argument with herself, Noah had finished his ice cream and began eyeing Ryuga's amount of sweets enviously. He knew that he wasn't allowed to have that much, but that didn't stop him from wanting to steal it from Ryuga. Soon, however, he grew tired of staring at the forbidden desert, and his eyes wandered up to the stranger. Noah saw that Ryuga was staring unblinkingly at his mom and it started to remind him of something.

Ryuga felt the weight of Noah's stare and so broke his gaze from Miya to look down at the small boy, who's bright green eyes were looking back at him curiously.

"Yes?" Ryuga asked confused as to why this child was eying him like that.

"You look like a panda," Noah said bluntly, revealing his thoughts. Ryuga was taken aback, as he'd never actually been compared to an animal before. He'd been called odd, strange, eccentric, different, and unique, but Panda was definitely a new one. "I have a stuffed panda at home," Noah continued. "His name is Panda!" The black haired man didn't say anything and instead.

"Does yo' tummy eva hurt from all the sweets?" Noah asked innocently.

"No, they just help me think easier," Ryuga replied. "In fact I find sometimes that vegetables cause more of a stomach ache."

"Yeah that's what I try to tell mommy but she say no," Noah giggled. "Hey do you wanna be a detective Mr. Panda?" Mr. Panda…well, that was apparently Ryuga's new name.

Ryuga couldn't help but think how talkative this little boy was. He couldn't remember asking these many random questions when he was his age, not that he was ever considered to be a normal boy anyway. He wanted to be annoyed at Noah for distracting him in testing Miya, but he actually found himself to be fascinated by the little boy. It wasn't like he had kids around him too often, and it was intriguing hearing his opinion on ordinary things. Ryuga had to admit it was a nice change.

"Yes I do," he replied. "I wanna be the one to bring Kira down." Perhaps not the most kid friendly conversation, but Noah nodded anyway as if he understood.

"I don't like Kiwa. He's bad."

"Yes he is." Ryuga agreed, turning back to Miya who suddenly had a guilty look on her face.

"Ok I can't lie," she admitted. "I eavesdropped on your conversation so I know what this is about. You put these pictures together and the beginning letters of each line read, 'L, do you know gods of death love apples?' So you caught me."

"I thought so."

"I'm sorry!" Miya apologized quickly. "I was curious! If you were in my position you would have been curious too!"

"Yes it is human nature, but I probably wouldn't have been as obvious," Ryuga retorted.

Miya crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it immediately, suddenly remembering Noah was sitting right next to her. Best not to say anything rude her son might pick up on.

"What was that, Miss Yamaguchi?" Ryuga asked with a straight face, although Miya was sure he was making fun of her.

She decided she should just bite her tongue. "Nothing…"

The three continued to eat casually, moving on to various topics of conversation. Miya decided somewhere during that time that he wasn't as annoying as she had thought, the she still wasn't sure what to make of him. Once Ryuga had finished all his ice cream, he excused himself, saying he had lots of work to do and that it was nice seeing her again and meeting Noah. The Yamaguchi's watched as he left the small ice cream shop, stuffing his hands in his pockets after pushing through the door.

"He kinda weird," Noah told Miya with a giggle.

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he is. But it's not very nice to call people that."

"Sowy Mommy!" Noah apologized quickly as the two got up from the booth, ready to head home.

* * *

A few days later, Miya was sitting in her parents' living room watching The Great Mouse Detective as Noah sat on her lap, cuddling with his stuffed panda. Her parents were out late again so she and Noah had the place to themselves.

"I don't like Rat'gan," Noah commented, watching as the evil rat started singing a song about how he was the greatest criminal mind. "He's evil, like Kiwa."

Miya began to nod, but before she could actually respond, the telephone started ringing. She placed Noah on the couch next to her and went to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Miya, you hafta change the channel to Sakura TV now!" It was her next door neighbor calling and she sounded frantic and nervous. "It's Kira!"

"What?" Miya asked in shock. She quickly hung up the phone and raced to the TV, turning off the movie. "Noah, sweetie, can you go upstairs and play with your toys real quick? I promise we can watch the movie after the news, ok? This is really important."

Noah sighed before getting up from the couch. "Ok…" he said, dragging his feet. "I never get to see the bad guy stuff…"

Miya ignored him and changed the channel just in time. Three anchors from Sakura TV were discussing Kira, and Miya settled herself on the couch again, preparing herself for whatever it was they were going to say.

"I assure you this is not a hoax and that Sakura TV is not airing this tape for the purpose of sensationalism," one anchor said. Miya was starting to get nervous. What was going on? "Four days ago, our program director here at Sakura TV received four tapes. After a thorough examination, there can be no doubt that these are from Kira himself. The first tape we received contained a prediction regarding the time of death of two suspected criminals who've recently been arrested. And as predicted, at the exact time that Kira had specified, both men died suddenly of heart attacks yesterday."

'Suspected criminals?' Miya asked herself. 'I though Kira only went after hard-core criminals. Not those that might actually be innocent…'

"Kira has instructed us to air the second tape today at exactly 5:59 pm and we do intend to comply with his demands. This tape should offer proof of his power by predicting yet another death. Beyond that, we understand that it contains a message to all the people of the world from Kira. And now, the video.

Miya gulped, unsure of what to expect. Suddenly, the screen went white and the words "Kira" appeared, spelled out in cursive writing. It was silent for a moment before a distorted voice cleared its throat and began speaking.

"I am Kira," it announced. Miya couldn't help but think how scary the whole situation was. Was Kira really talking to the world? And in that creepy voice? "If this video was being aired on April 18th at exactly 5:59 pm as I requested, the time now is 5:59:47, 48, 49," the supposed Kira counted down before continuing with instructions. "Please change the channel. The news anchor will die of a heart attack at exactly 6:00."

Miya paused. Would the anchor really die? She then changed the channel as fast as she could to the one Kira instructed and saw that the anchor had indeed died of a heart attack. There were many people from the TV station surrounding the man, frantically trying to find out what was wrong with him. Miya shuddered and was glad she sent Noah upstairs.  
She flipped back to Sakura TV and realized that she had missed some of what Kira was saying.

"I will present you with another target," Kira continued. "My next victim is an NHN TV commentator and was scheduled to appear in a live broadcast. He too has dared to defy Kira."

Miya changed the TV to the channel and was surprised to see that the commentator had, in fact, died as well. 'Kira's resorting to kill innocent people now?' Miya thought bitterly as she flipped the station back to Sakura TV.

"Now that you have seen proof of my powers, you should no trouble believing that I am Kira. People of the world, please listen to me. The last thing I want to do is kill the innocent. I hate evil and love justice. I've always thought of the police as allies, not as enemies."

'Yeah right," Miya thought as the supposed Kira finished his rant.

"I intend to create a new world. A perfect world that is free from evil. If you were to join  
me in my mission, I know it can happen. And as long as no one tried to catch me, I promise that the innocent will not die. Even if you don't agree with me, all I ask is that you don't publicize your views to the media. If you can do that, you will be spared. All you have to do now is be patient. I will create a better world that we can all enjoy. Say goodbye to the world as you know it. Soon we'll have a new world rid of malevolence and inhabited by good, honest people. Try to imagine it."

Miya rolled her eyes. This guy really needed to be stopped. Who was he to decide who was good and honest and who wasn't?

Unexpectedly, she heard a loud thud coming from upstairs. She knew there was no one up there but Noah, and that thud really didn't sound good. She jumped up from the couch in a panic and raced up the stairs as fast as she could to make sure her son was okay. She burst into the room the noise had come from to find Noah sprawled on the floor. His eyes were closed and he was lying on his back among a pile of books that had fallen from the bookshelf in Miya's bedroom.

"Noah!?" Miya cried out, her mind instantly going to the worst place. Could Kira have gotten to him too? For what reason? Her heart pounded against her chest as she rushed to his body. She almost burst into tears until Noah opened his eyes, seemingly fine, though he looked a little dazed.

"Ow…" he mumbled. "That huwt…" Miya stopped breathing as she stared at Noah, confused. Her emotions instantly switched from almost bursting into tears out of fear to almost crying in relief.

"Don't scare me like that again!" she scolded. "What were you trying to do anyway?"

"I wanted a book," he said flatly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Miya helped him stand back up an dusted him off, checking to make sure he didn't have any visible bruises.

"You're okay?" she asked as Noah as he reached for one of the fallen books.

"I'm good," Noah answered simply, opening it up to reveal an array of colorful pictures. Then the phone rang again, and Miya groaned. "Be careful," she warned Noah seriously before running to get the phone again. She reached out a shaky hand and picked it up.

"Yes?"

"Miya!" It was her neighbor again, somehow managing to sense that she wasn't watching. "Change it to the news hurry! Kira is on a roll tonight!"

Miya furrowed her eyebrows as she changed the station. It really was Kira's night; that much was obvious from the amount of coverage he was getting.

"As you can see, someone has just collapsed outside the doors. Again, we're coming to you live from the Sakura TV building." On the screen, there was in fact a person lying dead outside of the building as the announcer spoke.

'How horrible,' Miya thought, her stomach twisting into a knot. 'Kira really needs to be stopped…although his actions seem different. Kira must have gotten bored with the big-time criminals…unless it's a completely different person.' Miya couldn't stop the thoughts from coming as she changed the station back to Sakura TV to see that Kira was still going on.

"I am now awaiting a response from the police. They must decide if they are going to help me create a better world for all of us. Please announce your decision on the six o'clock news in four days. I have prepared two videos, one to be aired if the answer is yes and another if the answer is no."

Miya turned off the TV in disgust. She suddenly found herself wondering if Ryuga was watching and what his thoughts on the situation were. Would he come to same conclusion she did?


	3. Investigation

A/N: Thanks for the feedback and the name info! Really appreciate it! Ok, things are getting more interesting! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Investigation**

Miya had gotten out of her class early and was walking across campus toward the cafeteria. It was a bright day, the sun shining down from the cloudless blue sky, and Miya was just enjoying the atmosphere as she thought about her last class. It had been health, and they had been doing more bonding exercises with fellow classmates. Ever since Ryuga had stopped coming to class, she'd been forced to work with this jerk of a guy who only wanted to talk about sports. Miya never thought she would miss someone as bizarre as Ryuga, but she found these days that she did. At least they had intelligent conversations when they had been partners.

Now that Miya was thinking about it, she hadn't seen Ryuga in a while. Not just in health class, but at all, and he certainly didn't seem like the type to drop out. She'd seen Light Yagami wandering around a few times, but Ryuga was never with him. Therefore it was quite surprising to see him sitting on a bench in the middle of campus. He waved casually at her as she drew nearer.

"Funny seeing you here Miss Yamaguchi," Ryuga said when she stopped in front of him.

"I go to school here," she pointed out. "And I thought you did too but you've been a no show for the past few weeks. What's up with that?"

"How is Noah?" Ryuga asked, ignoring her question as he switched to a new subject. Miya sighed and sat down beside him, realizing he wasn't going to tell her anything.

"He's good," she replied. "But how have you been?"

"Fine," Ryuga answered. "Work has been very tiring lately but then again, I hardly sleep anyway." Miya could have guessed that from his eyes, which were still underlined with the dark circles that she now associated with a panda.

"Yeah, work can suck," Miya replied. "But anyway, have you been keeping up with the Kira investigation?" Even though she knew she shouldn't, she was hoping to get some type of answer from this guy. Ever since she'd heard his conversation over coffee with Light Yagami, she was way too curious over why the names "L" and "Kira" had been thrown around so much.

"I follow it," Ryuga answered simply. "What are your thoughts on the Kira announcement? Surely you heard it." Miya nodded.

"Yeah everyone's heard that. But…no, never mind."

"Something you wanted to say?" Ryuga wondered. Miya sighed before continuing.

"Well you'll probably think I'm crazy, but even before the announcement I was thinking it was probably a second Kira."

"Why would you say that?" Ryuga pressed. He seemed really interested in her answer, and Miya suddenly felt unsure of herself.

"Well it was just that, the new Kira killed differently than the other one. The original Kira seemed to have a sense of justice, I guess you could say, and only killed the worse of the worst criminals. The new one was killing innocent people for the sake of example. It just seemed like a totally different killer." She looked at Ryuga and saw that he was giving her that unblinking stare again. "Then when the real Kira made the announcement on TV to the second one, it proved that I was right." Miya twirled a strand of light brown hair between her fingers in thought. "Then I started thinking about the night in front of the Sakura TV station. Before, the real Kira needed a name and a face to kill but now it seems that the second Kira only needs a face, which is how the man and the police officers died so suddenly, which leads me to believe… we're in trouble now." Ryuga didn't say anything at first making Miya believe she sounded completely ridiculous. "I've never told anyone that theory and I kinda wish I hadn't now. You must think I'm stupid."

"No, actually I'm quite impressed," Ryuga answered, much to her surprise. "I've been thinking the same thing. You figured that out just by following the stories on the news?"

"Yeah," Miya answered with a smile, quite pleased with herself. "I told you I wanted to be a detective."

"Yes you did mention that, and it does appear that your deductive reasoning skills are sharp. Perhaps then, you would be interested in this…"

"What are you doing?" Miya asked when he picked up one of the notebooks she'd been carrying from off the bench and scribbled something down on one of the blank pages.

"Meet me at this hotel tonight, say around six?" Ryuga said, ripping out the page and handing it to her. "I think it will be worth your while." Miya glanced at the page and saw the name of a hotel and a room number, and she suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Um, Ryuga we really don't know each other that well…" she said slowly. "I feel like that would be inappropriate."

"I assure you Miss Yamaguchi this is strictly business," Ryuga said casually as he picked up her other book off the bench, flipping through it casually. It was her small, brown, leather bound planner, but Miya was too wrapped in thoughts to care that he was looking at it. There wasn't anything secretive written in it anyway.

Business? Well it was a relief, at least, to know that he wasn't so turned on by her detective skills that he was inviting her to a room, but what business could he possibly have to discuss with her? Miya started to get excited, thinking maybe it had something to do with L, but then quickly calmed down, realizing that was probably far from the truth. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she heard Ryuga speaking.

"Hey Light. How's it going?" Miya snapped out of her thoughts quickly and focused her attention on where Ryuga was looking. Indeed, there was Light Yagami, talking to a girl Miya had seen around campus. Kyomi, she thought her name was.

"Well I'd better get going for lunch then," Miya said quickly, standing up as Light approached.

"Will I see you tonight then?" Ryuga asked, locking eyes with her. Miya glanced down quickly at the notebook in her hand before meeting his gaze again.

"I guess," she said before turning away and continuing down the path. She was just too curious and she had to see what was going on. Hopefully it would even answer some of her questions.

"Hope she's not upset," Miya heard Ryuga say to Light, probably about Kyomi, before she had walked out of earshot. She was almost to the cafeteria when she suddenly had that feeling that she was missing something. She looked down at the things in her hand to check, and sure enough, the planner Ryuga had been looking at was not in her hand. The only thing she had was the notebook that now held the hotel information.

"Great…" Miya grumbled as she turned back around. Thankfully Ryuga was still there when she reached the bench, chatting away with Light about something.

"Well, something like that," Light was saying when she reached the bench. They both turned to look at her when she stopped.

"I um…forgot my planner," she said awkwardly. Light looked to Hideki, who nodded and handed over the brown book.

"Yes here you are," he said as he stood up and looked at Light. "Hey uh, do you wanna have some shortcake with me in the cafeteria?"

"Yeah sure," Light replied. "I have a break now anyway."

"Mm that's perfect," Ryuga continued. "I'm kinda craving shortcake right now."

"Well, let's hope they have it," Light said, though it looked to Miya like he was thinking about other things. She felt really awkward walking right in front of them as they talked, so she decided to join the conversation.

"I think they have shortcake today," she said casually, slowing her pace some until she was even with Ryuga. "Which means strawberries."

"Ah yes my favorite," he said, looking pleased. The three continued to walk in silence for a few seconds before a high girl's voice cut through the air.

"Light, there you are!" the girl said, giggling as she ran up towards the tall and for some reason annoyed looking boy. "I had a photo shoot nearby, so I thought I'd come by to see you!" A photo shoot? Was this girl a model? "Oh this must be a friend of yours," she continued as she approached Ryuga. "He looks so different. Unique."

'That's one way of putting it…' Miya thought to herself as the girl continued.

"Hi there! I'm Light's girlfriend, Misa Amane. Nice to meet you!" It then clicked in Miya's brain that this girl was a model in a number of magazines. Hmm, Miya couldn't help but wonder if she knew about all the other girls Light was always hanging around with.

"I'm Hideki Ryuga…" the Panda-eyed man answered, sounding slightly stunned for a reason Miya couldn't pinpoint. Misa looked quite stunned as well, and was staring over his head with a confused expression.

"Huh? Hideki Ryu…" she trailed off, still puzzled. Light then took the opportunity to jump in.

"Yeah he has the exact same first and last name as the famous idol. Pretty bizarre huh?"

"Oh…" Misa said, turning to Miya. "And you are?"

"Miya Yamaguchi," Miya answered, feeling suddenly very self conscious. If she didn't know she was a model, it wouldn't have been hard to guess. She was really pretty, with blonde hair that hung straight, aside from the two pigtails that hung off her head. She had big blue eyes, and was wearing a short little black dress with ruffles. Miya was looking down at her plain jeans and blouse bitterly when the strangest laughter interrupted her thoughts. Everyone turned to see Ryuga, staring at Misa with his finger to his mouth, something he often did. What was weirder though, was the fact that he was chuckling uncontrollably. Though everyone had just been off in their own worlds, it was clear that they were all thinking the same thing now. Why the hell was he laughing like that?

"Light…" Ryuga said finally, putting his hand back down to his side. "You're a lucky guy."

"Huh?" Light barely uttered as Ryuga looked to the petite blonde. "I have been a huge fan of yours ever since the August issue of _Eighteen_." Oh so he was just laughing because Misa was pretty? That was the conclusion Miya came to, and all it did was add to the weird definition that Ryuga was already building up for himself.

"What? Really?" Misa gushed. "That's so sweet of you!" Miya was about to suggest that they continue to the cafeteria, when a number of passing students started gathering around, all chatting excitedly about Misa Misa. Miya still had her attention fixed on Ryuga, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. It was then that she saw his hand reach out toward Misa.

'No…' Miya thought to herself. 'I know he is not about to…'

"No way!" Misa yelled. "Somebody just touched my butt!" She whipped her head around to see Ryuga standing there, his hand in the air. He looked completely caught off guard and also totally stupid.

'What a pervert…' Miya thought to herself as Ryuga lamely attempted to cover his tracks.

"Uh…this is an outrage!" he cried, scuttling around Misa to look her straight on. "Uh, taking advantage of this situation is unforgivable. I will find whoever is responsible for this!" Yeah, nice cover…

"Oh Ryuga," Misa giggled. "You're so funny." Ryuga rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as a tall woman with long dark hair and glasses approached, wearing a professional looking green dress suit.

"Misa, it's time!" she snapped, uncaring of the bystanders as she grabbed the blonde's hand. "Or were you planning to be late again?"

"N-no. I'm sorry Yoshi," Misa stuttered, obviously scared by the woman. Miya was suddenly very glad she was not a model.

"Let's go," the manager said, dragging her off in the direction she had come from.

"O-okay," Misa mumbled before turning around and waving enthusiastically at Light. "Bye Light! I'll see you after I'm done work. Miss you already!" Miya turned back toward Light and Ryuga, and was suddenly aware of the fact that no one was around anymore. Apparently the three of them just weren't interesting enough.

"Now then," Ryuga continued as if nothing had happened. "Perhaps we should get going?"

"Yeah I'm starving!" Miya agreed, taking a step forward. Light was hesitant however.

"Yeah…actually could you go on ahead? I need to use the restroom." Miya couldn't say she minded. For some odd reason Light creeped her out more than Ryuga. He was just too perfect or something.

"Oh okay then. I'll see you there," Ryuga replied before heading off alongside Miya.

"Alright shortcake is waiting on us I believe," he said with a slight smile as they walked. They'd barely made it five steps however when Ryuga's phone rang.

"Um…are you going to answer it?" Miya answered after he pulled it out. He was just staring at it, holding the string in that weird way that he held things.

"Yes?" he said the phone. "…Hello?"

"What do you mean 'hello'?" Miya heard a familiar voice say. It occurred to her that she was not hearing the phone and turned around to see Light standing just a few yards away, holding his phone to his ear. Were they talking to each other?

"Oh, is that you Light?" Ryuga said casually. "I guess someone must have dropped this phone in all the commotion earlier on." After a pause, he spoke again. "Uh hello?"

"Yeah that, that's Misa's cell phone you have. I can give it back to her," he finished sharply, stepping up behind Hideki with his hand extended. Miya did not understand why they were both still talking on their phones, but either way Ryuga continued as if Light were three miles away.

"No I see," he said into the phone. "Sure that makes sense." Finally, and reluctantly, it seemed to Miya, Ryuga hung the phone up and turned around, handing it to Light, who took it before they both turned and continued walking. Miya stayed put for a moment, thinking about how strange that was, before jogging to catch up with Ryuga.

"You took Misa's phone," she accused. "Why?" She guessed that meant he wasn't a pervert…though he still touched her butt. Ryuga looked like he was going to speak when another phone rang.

"Oh…oh this time it's actually my cell phone," he said as he pulled it out, clearing his throat before he spoke. "Yes? Yes I see. So it's done then? I understand." He then hung up and slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Who was that?" Miya asked curiously, and perhaps rudely seeing as it was really none of her business. He didn't answer her however and instead turned to face Light, who was still nearby.

"I'm not actually sure how you'll take this but regarding Misa Amane there's something you should know. We've taken her into custody under suspicion of being the second Kira." Miya gasped involuntarily. She just couldn't help it. Misa as the second Kira? That just couldn't be. And if Ryuga had the power to take her into custody, did that mean he really was L? "We gathered physical evidence from the envelopes that were sent by the second Kira," Ryuga continued. "In particular, we found hairs and fibers from the masking tape used to seal them. They matched what we found in Misa's room. There would be a public uproar if it gets out that she's been apprehended as the second Kira, so officially we've charged her manager with drug possession and she's a voluntary witness. But I doubt any of this will get out." Miya just stood there in shock as Ryuga spoke. Should she really be hearing this? But she had the sudden feeling that he wanted her to hear it. Did that mean this is what he had called her to the hotel to talk about? Miya glanced over to Light, who looked shocked, and defeated. He was silent for a long time, and finally he looked up, his face more confident.

"Yes well, if that's what has to be done," Light said simply before turning and continuing to where he'd been heading. The bathroom, apparently. Ryuga turned back around to face Miya, who was frozen in shock.

"Misa is…the second Kira?"

"Well officially innocent until proven guilty," Ryuga shrugged. "But all evidence points to her." Obviously he'd come to this conclusion a long time ago, as he was completely calm. Miya worked to pull her shock back together as Ryuga continued.

"Well, sorry to leave you hanging like this but I'm afraid I have to go."

"Yeah of…of course," Miya said, finally able to put thoughts together. "Does this topic have anything to do with what I'll be finding out tonight?"

Ryuga sighed, defeated. "I really wanted shortcake too," He then turned to Miya. "See you soon Miss Yamaguchi." At that Ryuga walked off, leaving Miya full, if possible, of more questions than she'd had the other day.

"Okay yeah I'll…see you…" Miya trailed off. He certainly was a mystery. How could he possibly be more upset about missing shortcake than the possibility of Misa Misa being the second Kira? Whatever. All Miya knew what that she was thinking a lot, and her head was starting to hurt. Maybe she needed some sugary brain food.

"Well damn, now I want shortcake…" she mumbled to herself as she walked off toward the cafeteria. One thing was certain; she was definitely going to the hotel tonight to find out what was going on.

* * *

Miya literally spent the rest of the day on autopilot. She was there; at school, with her family, but she couldn't tell you a thing that happened. Every thought that crossed her mind was about the mysterious Hideki Ryuga and Kira. So, needless to say she was literally running down the street toward the hotel, knocking aside various people before bursting through the doors to the address she'd been given.

"Um…can I help you?" an alarmed looking clerk at the check-in counter asked. Miya realized how stupid she must have looked charging in like that, and quickly shook her head.

"No sorry. It…looked like rain so I ran…'cause…I'm just going to go to my room."

"Please," the clerk said flatly, looking back down at the magazine she'd been flipping through. Miya walked over to the elevator and stepped inside, concentrating on slowing her breath as it rose a couple of floors, letting her off at the top level. She pulled out the notebook paper and eyed the door numbers, pausing in front of the one at the end of the hallway.

"This is it…" she muttered, hesitating a moment. Finally she knocked on the door and waited.

"Who is it?" Ryuga's familiar voice said from the other side.

"It's Miya Yamaguchi," she said, looking around.

"Password," his voice said.

"Um…" Miya hesitated, checking the paper, which was sadly without password. Suddenly the door opened, and Ryuga ushered her inside.

"There's no password by the way," he shrugged, heading over to a cushioned chair that had a couch and few other seats around it. "Though I suppose investing in one wouldn't be bad for security purposes. And another thing, you shouldn't give your name away so easily. Kira only needs a name and a face. He could have easily killed you if he was in this room. Now, please, sit." He said, motioning toward the couch. Miya sat down slowly and took a look at her surroundings as Ryuga perched himself atop his chair. Off to the far end of the room was a television, with a chair a few feet in front of it. A number of important looking men stood around. Detectives, maybe?

"So…what did you call me here for?" Miya asked nervously after Ryuga took his time pouring himself coffee and adding the insane amount of sugar.

"Well you're deductive reasoning skills seem to be above average," Ryuga began, stirring the drink and taking a sip. Somehow he managed to hold the teacup in the air the way he held everything else, and Miya had an offhand thought about how she'd probably spill it on herself if she tried that. "You're the only one who logically came to the second Kira conclusion, aside from myself and Light Yagami, and I'm thinking you could be an asset to this investigation. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

"Um…I guess…but…who are you?" she asked, skipping to the point.

"Who do you believe me to be?" Ryuga replied, probably attempting to test her again.

"Well you claim to be Hideki Ryuga at school but…I'm almost seventy-seven percent positive that you're L. A confirmation of that from you or someone else might be nice." She decided it might be fun to mock him a little, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Very well," he replied. "I am L." Miya wasn't expecting it to be that simple and she laughed.

"Something funny?" he asked curiously.

"No it's just…okay you just admit you're L so easily? And you expect me to believe it?"

"Well regardless of whether or not you believe the fact, it is true." Miya had no reason to doubt him, and for some reason she was believing everything now.

"But isn't it dangerous for you to be giving away who you are to random people? I could be Kira for all you know!" L took a sip of his tea before responding.

"Well Miss Yamaguchi I find that highly unlikely. And in the event that you are Kira, coming here was not a smart move on your part. See, you are now one of two outside of this investigative team that knows me as L, so in the event of my death you would automatically be a main suspect." Miya gasped a little and quickly tried to backtrack.

"I'm not Kira though," she sputtered. "Please don't start suspecting me! I was just pointing out…"

"Relax Miss Yamaguchi, that is not why I've invited you here." Miya felt a little relief rise in her and she took a deep breath before continuing.

"Okay so…?"

"So I want you to become a part of this investigative team," L explained. "This case is one of the more difficult I've faced, and we could use bright minds, such as yourself, on the inside."

"But…my job, and Noah. I really don't think I can commit to something like this."

"I assure you you'd be well rewarded for your work, much more than that restaurant I'm sure. And as for Noah we can find accommodations for him on the days in which he's with you. Matsuda is excellent with children, isn't that right Matsuda?"

"Um…I guess so sir…" a dark haired detective said, caught off guard.

"However it would be rather dangerous so I recommend you leave him at home if possible," L continued.

"Um, L," Miya began.

"Ryuzaki here please," L replied.

"Okay um, Ryuzaki…" Miya said. "I really don't know if I can accept this…"

"Take this job and I can assure you that you will always have a career in the detective field, whether it be under me or another person. You'd be given a fake name and all the necessary precautions would be taken to ensure you and your family's safety. What do you say?" Miya thought for a moment. She did want to be a detective, and extra money would be really good for Noah's sake. It was becoming an offer she couldn't refuse, and Ryuzaki's stare was adding to the pressure.

"Alright," she sighed. "I'll help."

"Excellent," Ryuzaki said, placing his teacup down. "But you understand that still, despite all precautions, you'll be risking your life by taking part in this."

"I understand," Miya sighed.

"Alright," Ryuzaki said. "In that case let's get started."


	4. Alias

A/N: Thanks for the feedback you guys! We're really glad you guys like this! We were worried it wouldn't be good enough or we didn't keep L in character and stuff like that, you know? Anyway, this chapter is hilarious, at least I thought it was. Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Alias **

Miya stood around feeling awkward as L carried on with business like she had been a part of the team the whole time. She wasn't quite sure what to do, so she decided to introduce herself. That was how things should be started off, right?

"Hi I'm Miya," she said with a smile and a wave toward the group.

"I'm Matsuda," the man who had been involuntarily cast as babysitter earlier introduced, stepping up to Miya and taking her hand. "Welcome to the team. We could use someone as intelligent and...pretty as you on our side." Matsuda blushed and smiled. Miya tried to smile politely, but she couldn't help but notice the way he was eyeing her. Was he honestly attempting to flirt? Yeah, what a fantastic way to start this new job.

"Matsuda, back to work please," L instructed, plopping himself onto the chair in front of the television.

"Uh yes sir," he said quickly, looking embarrassed. Then a tall, middle aged man with a mustache stepped up.

"I'm Soichiro Yagami and this is Aizawa," he introduced, motioning toward a man with a curly head full of hair. "Welcome to the team." Mr. Yagami? Was this man Light's father?

"Watari," L suddenly said into the microphone that was sitting on a table in front of his chair. "Has she said anything yet?"

"No," a voice Miya assumed was Watari replied. "She hasn't spoken a word."

"Get me a visual of her will you?" L said back as Miya and the other detectives gathered around.

"Are you sure?" Watari asked.

"Yes and quickly," L replied. The TV then flashed on, and Miya along with the other three detectives gasped. On the screen was Misa, completely blindfolded and tied up on some type of flat table. Miya was suddenly very afraid. Just what had she gotten herself into? Someone from behind Miya spoke first.

"Ryuzaki, what's the meaning of this?"

"I've apprehended her on suspicion of being the second Kira," L replied. "I'm afraid this is necessary." Miya couldn't turn her eyes away from the screen. Misa just looked so scared. Could she really be the second Kira?

"Chances are Amane is guilty," Mr. Yagami said. "There seems to be enough evidence to convict her. All the same…" He sounded upset, however, by how things had turned out.

"Yes there can be no mistake," L continued. "Now, we need a confession out of her. We need to know how she kills, whether she knows Kira, and, if so, who he really is. Watari, take the necessary precautions but beyond that, you're free to do whatever has to be done, okay? Just make her speak."

"Very well," Watari's voice said before buzzing out.

"Oh and Mr. Yagami, Light has now become our prime suspect and I'm probably going to bring him in for interrogation as well. Please be prepared for that." L's voice was calm, but Miya detected a hint of regret. Mr. Yagami looked upset, but he simply nodded and turned away, headed back to whatever paperwork he'd been working on. The other detectives followed, and Miya took this opportunity to speak to L some more.

"How can you stand this?" Miya asked, sitting down on the arm of his chair. He glanced up at her for a moment as if to wonder why she didn't just take a seat on the nearby sofa, but she wasn't really bothering him so he instead focused on her question.

"Sometimes these things are necessary," he said simply. Miya sighed as she looked at Misa on the screen. She truly looked terrified, and Miya felt her stomach starting to hurt.

"Is it too late for me to back out of this agreement?" she said with a groan. L shrugged and picked up a cookie that was sitting on a tray nearby.

"You're free to do whatever you like," he replied. Miya looked back up at the screen projecting the image of Misa.

"Is she really the second Kira?"

"I can almost guarantee to you that she is," L replied. Miya let out a deep breath and nodded.

"Then I'm here to stay," she answered.

"Excellent," he said, holding out a chocolate chip cookie to her like he was holding out a hanker-chief. "Cookie?"

"Sure," Miya said, taking it from him and taking a careful bite. It was much more delicious than she'd been anticipating, and so she half shoved the rest of the cookie into her mouth. L stared at her curiously for a moment before holding out another cookie.

"I'm good thank you," Miya said, blushing slightly as she realized she'd pretty much taken out that cookie in an animalistic way. "So hey, everyone here is under a fake name right? What's mine going to be?"

"I was thinking…" L began, before Miya interrupted him enthusiastically.

"Oh I've got it…Miyo, and then my last name can be Yamagata! Miyo Yamagata! That's amazing right? It's like, one minute I'm Miya Yamaguchi and the next I'm Miyo Yamagata! So close, yet enough of a difference to fool Kira!"

"Clever," L said simply, staring at her curiously as she stood up.

"Picture it!" she rambled. "Kira will be on our tail. He'll think he's got me. My name, my face… then BAM!"

"BAM?" L repeated stunned by the spectacle she was putting on. The other detectives gathered around to watch the strange new addition to their team.

"BAM as in nothing," Miya explained. "Nothing will happen cause my names a fake. Miyo Yamagata doesn't exist! It's brilliant!"

"And you feel that the sound effect 'BAM' is best used to describe an event in which nothing happens?" L clarified. Miya wasn't even listening. She was completely lost in her own world and was proceeding to make a fool of herself.

"What is she doing?" Matsuda asked as Miya began to sort of bop to some invisible beat.

"Shh," Miya hushed. "I'm picturing my perfect theme song."

"Yeah, nice choice Ryuzaki," Aizawa commented. Finally L cleared his throat.

"I hate to interrupt your detective fantasy but we really do need to be going over the case Miss…Yamagata."

"Eh, call me Miya," she shrugged. "Miyo kinda sounds dumb now that I think about it. We'll keep Yamagata. That should be enough for security right?"

"Yes," L replied and Miya perched herself on the edge of his chair and focused her attention on some documents lying in front of them. L was amazed by her. She certainly was a mystery.

* * *

All the detectives were sitting around, looking very tired. They were rubbing their eyes and ruffling their hair, anything to keep them awake. Miya was the only one who seemed to go home every night, but she really didn't have a choice. She was a single mom after all. Therefore, she and L were the only ones who ever seemed to be awake during the evening hours. Miya really was starting to wonder when he slept. Once she was watching him, as she found herself observing him in her off time, and she could have sworn he was sleeping with his eyes open. Of course, she couldn't' quite be sure, as he had an annoying habit of not blinking.

All the detectives groaned as Watari's voice echoed through the microphone system.

"Ryuzaki, Amane is talking." L's head instantly snapped up, and he hopped off his chair at light speed. Miya followed, but she couldn't help but think he was being a little dramatic.

"Quickly, get me a visual and audio," L commanded. Then he quite literally dove onto the couch in front of the TV, grunting slightly as he landed.

"Relax Ryug…I mean L…I mean Ryuzaki," Miya sputtered out. "Just wait to see what she says. At least she's talking."

"Finally, after three days of this huh?" Someone added from behind her as everyone gathered to see the picture that appeared on the screen. It was Misa, blindfolded and restrained as she had been for the past few days, and she was indeed talking.

"I can't take it anymore," she managed to say, though her voice was weak. "Kill me." Everyone gasped, and even L looked surprised at her sudden request. "Kill me. Please just kill me."

"I don't know, maybe this was all too much for a young girl to take," Miya heard someone say as she waited to hear more.

"He's right, we've pushed her too far," another detective added.

"Shh!" Miya said waving her arm back at them as L leaned toward the microphone. "Just wait."

"Misa Amane, do you hear me?" L said into the microphone.

"I hear you. Please, just kill me now." Miya gave L a confused glance, but he didn't notice.

"Does this mean you admit to being the second Kira?" he pressed. "Is this the reason you wish to die?"

"No," Misa insisted. "I don't know anything about the second Kira. Oh I really can't take this anymore. I'd rather be dead. Now hurry up and kill me! If you wanted to, you could kill me right now, couldn't you? Yes, kill me. Yes…I do…" Misa continued to talk, and Miya looked at L curiously.

"It sounds like she's talking to someone who's not there," Miya observed.

"Yes it does, doesn't it?" L replied as Misa continued to speak.

"…no you can't! Please just kill me! Fine, if you won't kill me-"

"Stop her!" L yelled into the microphone. "Watari, don't' let her bite her tongue!" Miya looked to L as she was gagged, partly because she didn't' want to watch and partly because she wanted to see his reaction. "Is it possible that this behavior could be attributed to Kira controlling her actions before death?"

"You think he's making her say these things to throw us off?" Miya wondered, trying her hardest to wrap her mind around the conversation.

"Perhaps," L sighed. "We'll just have to wait it out. Watari, please inform me if anything new happens."

"Yes sir," Watari's voice replied before fading out.

* * *

"Anything new Watari?" L asked later that night. Miya was wide awake, and she knew she needed to be getting home soon. Not having to work at the restaurant was nice, but the lifestyle of the detective was definitely a time consuming one.

"No sir," Watari replied. "A lot of muffled talking through her gag, but nothing of interest."

"Regardless, let me have a look," L replied, obviously frustrated that this seemed to be going nowhere.

"Honesty Ryuzaki, can we call it a night?" Mr. Yagami said, clearly exhausted. L didn't answer, and so the worn out detectives looked to the television to see what was up. Misa appeared the same, and she was indeed talking through the cloth in her mouth.

"Hmm…" L said, his eyes fixed on the screen.

"Did you see that?" Miya said, pointing. "Her hair just moved! But how?"

"I didn't see anything," Mr. Yagami groaned.

"Me either," Aizawa and Matsuda said in unison. L turned to face them.

"By all means, head home. You're of no value when you can't even think straight. See you in the morning." And with a number of appreciative groans, the exhausted team headed out, leaving L and Miya alone.

"Well I saw it," she said. "How could her hair move like that? It looked like someone touched it."

"Yes it's quite odd," L agreed. "I don't know what to make of it." Miya looked to him, and found herself observing his odd characteristics again.

"Do you really think better sitting like that?" Miya wondered.

"Yes I find it improves my deductive ability by roughly forty percent."

"What was your ability before?" Miya asked curiously. L turned to look at her.

"Why not try it yourself? It couldn't hurt." Miya snorted.

"I am not doing that," she said flatly. But then she felt L's stare on her, as if he was waiting for her to do it.

"This is ridiculous," she laughed, pulling her knees up to her chest as she hovered over her chair. "I don't think it's work-ahhh!" she cried, losing any grasp of balance she had and tumbling to the floor.

"Miss Yamagata!" L said, hopping up and leaning down over her. "Are you alright?"

"Ow…" Miya groaned. "How can you sit like that?"

"A sense of balance helps," L answered smartly. Miya pulled herself up, since he didn't offer to help her, and glared at him.

"You just have the advantage of being hunched over already. Your bad posture helps you out."

"I'm a hunchback…?" L muttered to himself, placing his finger to his mouth.

"No, you're just hunched over," Miya said, squatting back down to the floor and resting her hands on her knees. "Okay let's try this again." L did the same, squatting down across from her so they were face to face. Miya tried so hard to keep a straight face. She just felt stupid, sitting there like a gargoyle staring the dark-eyed man in the face, when suddenly a thought struck her.

"I've got it!" she said, throwing a finger up and wobbling a little. "It must have been a breeze! Wow this position really does help!"

"Apparently not for you," L concluded, standing back up. "Please Miss Yamagata, get up. I think it has the opposite effect on you, as your deductive skills just dropped twenty percent."

"Excuse me! A breeze is a valid explanation!"

"Not when you consider the fact that she's being kept in a windowless room with a heavy door. I guarantee you it was not a passing gust of wind." Miya pouted, annoyed, and stood back up.

"It's a weird way to sit anyway…" she grumbled, much to the amusement of L, who actually cracked a sort of half-smile.

"Can I get you some tea, Miss Yamagata?" he offered, motioning toward the teapot. Miya shook her head.

"No, I really need to be getting back to Noah. It's late enough already. And L?"

"Ryuzaki," he reminded.

"Right sorry," she said quickly. "Can you call me Miya? I don't really like to be called by a fake last name, even if it is necessary."

"I suppose," he shrugged. "And to think you had a whole theme song for yourself."

"Right well, I'll see you tomorrow," she continued, ignoring his jab as she reached for the door. Apparently he was planning on opening it for her, as their hands met on the doorknob. Miya pulled hers away quickly, as did L, who cleared his throat rather loudly.

"Excuse me Miss…Miya," he said quickly, rubbing the back of his head. Miya giggled and opened the door.

"See you tomorrow Ryuzaki," she added with a wave before heading on home.

* * *

"Damn, Ryuga is going to kill me!" Miya yelled as she ran down the street, more than an hour late for detective work. She noticed a number of peculiar glances and cursed to herself. Sure, they all thought she was talking about the celebrity, but she could have just as easily yelled L. 'Man, I need to work on my espionage skills or I'm gonna give everything away!' By the time she was done scolding herself, she had reached the hotel and slowed to a normal pace. She didn't want to scare the clerk by bursting through the door…again.

She made her way across the room to the elevator, stepped out onto the designated floor, and proceeded down the hallway. She'd been given a security clearance key…okay, it was just a hotel key…but she liked to make it sound more important. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, expecting to be yelled at for being late, but instead heard something much different.

"…you pervert!" Misa was screaming on the television screen. All the detectives were gathered around and L was perched on his chair, his finger in his mouth. He actually looked a little hurt by her words.

"I'm…a pervert?" he said slowly, unblinking. Miya didn't know what was going on, but she couldn't resist commenting.

"Yeah you kind of are," she informed him, closing the door and hanging up her jacket. L turned to look at her briefly before turning back to the television in thought. The other detectives were chuckling, and Matsuda was obviously resisting the urge to bust out in full fledged laughter.

"Hmm no one has ever brought that to my attention before…" he mumbled, obviously contemplating the status of his perviness. Miya shook her head and grinned.

"No, I guess you're just doing your job most of the time…though you did touch Misa's butt…" Miya continued to chuckle to herself and then realized no one else was laughing. She decided this might actually be something serious, so she leaned over toward Matsuda.

"Um…what's going on?" she whispered.

"No idea," Matsuda said back in a low voice. "Misa just starting acting like she didn't know what was going on. She thinks Ryuzaki is a stalker."

"What?" Miya said in a louder voice, walking up beside L and sitting on the arm of his chair like she'd made a habit of doing the past few days. "Has she said anything new? Does she remember anything at all?"

"Let's find out," L replied, leaning toward the microphone. "Amane, let's get back to the conversation we were having before you lost consciousness. First of all, do you know who Light Yagami is and if so, why did you approach him?"

"Huh?" Misa's voice echoed back. "What do you mean? How could I not know my own boyfriend?" Miya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, trying to figure out the change of story. Apparently she wasn't the only one.

"Where is this coming from?" Matsuda wondered aloud. Suddenly L's phone rang, snapping everyone out of their thoughts. L reached into his pocket and pulled it out, holding it in front of his face to see who it was.

"Good timing," L mumbled. "It's Light. Please turn the video and audio off."

"Yes," Watari's voice replied as the screen shut off and the room went silent. L flipped the phone open and held it against his ear.

"Yes? Yes I understand. We'll be expecting you in room K2801." Miya tilted her head to the side as Mr. Yagami stepped forward.

"Are you saying my son's coming here?" L shut the phone off and turned to him with a quick reply.

"Yes we should be expecting him any moment." Miya had walked in on something interesting, that was for sure.


	5. Detective

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Yeah, this chapter is kinda short but it has Noah adorableness so maybe that can make up for it! Please review!

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**Chapter 5: Detective**

Miya wasn't exactly sure what to make of Light offering to put himself in confinement. He was going on about how maybe he could have been Kira unconsciously and that he should be watched just in case. It all seemed like a preconceived plan to Miya. It was just so ridiculous. Was Light trying to confuse them with his bogus confession? All Miya knew for sure was that all this thinking was giving her a head ache.

Miya sat in her usual spot next to Ryuzaki as they watched Light on the screen. He was sitting calmly on the floor, arms tied behind his back.

'I'd be dying of boredom by now…' Miya thought to herself. It had only been a day, but she was sure she would have gone insane already.

Suddenly, Mr. Yagami stormed into the room, rather loudly. This surprised Miya slightly, causing her to jump.

"Ryuzaki, I'd like to request that you take me off this investigation," he said, straight to the point.

Matsuda and Aizawa were stunned by his news. Miya only stared at Mr. Yagami. She really did feel sorry for him, having to go through this with his son, but if L had a reason to suspect Light to be Kira then these precautions had to be made.

"I thought about it," Mr. Yagami continued, "and the fact is that we're holding my son, Light, as the prime suspect. Given that, it's not appropriate for me to be here. When we spoke earlier, my feelings got in the way. It's impossible for me to be objective in this situation."

"I agree with you," L replied. "We can't let personal feelings get in the way."

"And in truth, if…if the task force concludes that my son is Kira, I don't know what I'd be capable of."

"Yes, I'll agree with you there," L said. He was still staring at the TV screen. "To be honest, I wondered what you might do. I believe you'd kill your son and then yourself. I'd also agree that it's best not to have you working here for now." L dug heartily into…whatever it was he was eating. Miya wasn't sure what it was but she chose not to comment. It wasn't exactly the best moment.

"Ryuzaki, I will ask that you confine me as well. At the moment, I'm calm but to be honest I'm not sure how much more of this I can take."

"That's true," Miya said quietly.

"I thought you might say that so I spoke with Watari. He's made arrangements." L paused to eat another bite and then continued talking with a full mouth. "But your confinement will be different. You will keep your cell phone turned on and contain regular contact with family and friends. You won't tell Light about this. If he does call you at some point he must be made to believe that you are still at headquarters. While you're in confinement, we'll be giving you continuous updates on the investigation so you'll know what's happening." Miya was starting to get hungry watching him eat. "So how does that sound to you?"

"I'm grateful. Thank you." And that was that. Mr. Yagami was to be put into confinement as well. Things were getting more intense by the minute.

* * *

Miya figured she had no choice as she walked through the hallways of the hotel, making her way to the designated room where Ryuzaki and the others were. She would probably be scolded, but that was where the cake came in. Hopefully, she could pull this off.

"I'm here," Miya said upon entering. "And I have a little surprise…"

"Mr. Panda!" Noah said excitedly from behind his mother. He ran up to the detective's chair and smiled up at him.

L gazed down at Noah before looking at Miya with a blank stare. "Is there a reason you brought your son today, Miss Yamagata? This is a very inopportune moment to have him here."

Miya sighed. "I know, but he has a cold and the day care ladies made a big deal about it. They don't want the other kids getting sick too so I just told them I'd take him with me to shut them up. My parents are working too, so they couldn't take him. I was running out of options." She held out what was in her hands out for Ryuzaki to see. "I brought cake." She lifted the lid of the container to reveal a delicious looking chocolate cake in vanilla frosting. "Maybe now I'll be forgiven?"

Before L could reply, Matsuda and Aizawa entered the room.

"Hi Miya!" Matsuda said enthusiastically. "Is that cake?"

The brunette nodded. "It's a peace offering to Ryuzaki for bringing my son to work."

Matsuda and Aizawa looked confused now. "Son?"

Noah came up to Miya and stood in front of her, looking innocently up at the detectives. They had reacted exactly as Miya had anticipated, gawking and staring back and forth between the teenage girl and the small child that happened to look just like her. She didn't say anything about that though. "Guys, this is my son Noah."

"Alright," L cut in, "we must get back to work. That's what we need to focus on right now."

"So that would be a no for the cake?" Miya asked as she set the cake on a nearby table. The slices were already cut and she began serving them to the two detectives.

L was silent for a few moments before responding, "I never said no."

Miya chuckled walking over to L. She had cut an extra large slice for him and he took it gratefully. "I hope you like it. I made it myself."

"Mommy's cakes are always yummy! Can I have some, pwease?"

Miya shook her head. "No, sorry sweetie. You need lots of liquids or you'll never get better. If you're sick all the time, you won't be able to do fun things anymore. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

Noah shook his head. "I'll get betta'!" He then proceeded to look around the room with wide, curious eyes. "Wow detective places are cool!" He clapped his hands and turned toward the television L was staring at. "Whoa, are those the bad guys?" Miya gasped and ran up to the screen that reflected an image of Light, Misa, and Mr. Yagami. She threw herself in front of it and looked at Noah seriously.

"You don't need to be watching this," she scolded. "I want to you stay away from the TV, okay?"

"But mommy…" Noah complained, looking to L, who obviously wasn't going to be leaving that spot anytime soon.

"Noah," she warned. He sighed, defeated, and dragged his feet across the room to where Matsuda and Aizawa were standing, still looking a little shocked. It was strange enough to them that Miya had a child, but to see that the child was walking and talking! They had no idea Miya had had a child so young.

"Again I'm sorry about having him here," Miya apologized as she perched herself on the arm of L's chair. "I couldn't think of anything else to do. I won't be making a habit of it, I promise. He shouldn't be around all this stuff anyway."

"It's alright," L shrugged. "I just hope he's not a distraction."

"He won't be," Miya said with the wave of her hand. Though as she looked back at her son, she knew he was already proving to be one.

"Hey mister," he was saying, tugging Matsuda's pant leg. "Awe you a detective?" Matsuda chuckled and kneeled down to speak to the small child.

"I'm a cop," he answered with a smile. Noah's eyes widened.

"Whoa, a cop!" he giggled. "Do you arrwest bad guys?" Matsuda couldn't help but think that Noah was adorable, staring up at him with big green eyes.

"He's a boring cop," Aizawa said, leaning around Matsuda to see the boy. "I'm the cool cop that arrests all the bad guys." Noah's eyes widened.

"Wow," he said in awe. "What your name?"

"Aizawa," he replied. "And he's Matsuda."

"Mr. Matda," Noah said, looking to the brunette man. "How come you don't awest bad guys? You need to do that so you can be cool like Mr. Aiwa!" Matsuda shot a glare back and Aizawa for making him seem boring as Miya approached the group.

"Noah, sweetie, they have important work to do. Why don't you pull out some of your toys?" Noah was sporting a small blue backpack that held all his favorite toys. He pouted and looked to his mom.

"Toys are bowing today! I wanna talk to cops!"

"Noah you heard me," she said, giving him the mom look.

"Fine…" Noah grumbled, pulling off his backpack and dragging it to a deserted portion of the room. He managed to entertain himself with some blocks for a few minutes before digging through his bag for a new toy. He pulled out a puzzle, which he tossed to the side, a book, which he flipped though for a moment before dropping, and finally, his stuffed panda.

"Oh Mr. Panda!" he called excitedly toward L. Matsuda and Aizawa looked around in confusion before realizing he was talking to L. They chuckled slightly as Noah yelled louder. "Mr. Panda!" Miya tapped L on the shoulder and pointed to her son.

"He's calling you," she said. "You're Mr. Panda, remember?"

"Oh yeah," L said, turning to look at the small boy. "Yes?" he said.

"Mr. Panda I brought my stuffed panda! You should come see him!" L scratched his head.

"Can't you bring him here?"

"I'm not allowed to see the bad guys on the TV," Noah giggled. "You gotta come here!" L looked up to Miya, who smiled innocently, and then got up with a groan.

"Look, look this is Panda!" he said enthusiastically as L approached. Noah was sitting on the floor, and so L squatted down on his feet, resting his hands on his knees, so he could better hear the boy.

"Yes he's wonderful," L said with a sigh, examining the bear that was staring back at him with beady eyes.

"See, he got dark eyes like you!" Noah pointed out. L nodded as Noah stood up. He handed L the panda, who took it with confusion, and walked over to Miya. "Mommy I don't feel good again…" Miya picked him up and felt his forehead.

"Oh no, I think you've got a fever!" she said. L stood up and headed back to where Miya and Noah were.

"You can take him home," L offered. "There's nothing going on at the moment. I'll call you if anything changes."

"You sure?" Miya said, eyeing L.

"Yes by all means," L responded. Miya nodded and stood up, holding Noah, who looked to L.

"Mr. Panda," he said, holding his arm out. L wasn't sure what he was doing, so he just held his arm out too. "You funny!" Noah laughed. "Now give me Panda!"

"Oh," L said, handing him the stuffed bear. Miya smiled and headed for the door, turning as she opened it.

"Okay see you tomorrow," she said. "Thanks again." L nodded and sat back in his chair as she left. Matsuda looked up hopefully from his paperwork.

"Does that mean we get to go home too?" he said. L looked back at him with unblinking eyes "Back to work it is…" Matsuda grumbled with a nod.

* * *

"Hey mister," Misa said into the camera. She was looking worn out and Miya could almost feel her pain. "I really wanna take a bath. I'm pretty sure you know where I live, don't you? Can you bring me some clean clothes?"

"I didn't think this could get any more bizarre." Aizawa said as he joined Matsuda, Miya and L in front of the TV.

"I feel so sorry for the chief right now." Matsuda added.

Miya nodded. "I feel sorry for all of them."

From his small room, Light looked right into the camera and began speaking. "Ryuzaki, talk to me. What's happening? Have any new criminals been identified? Anyone that Kira would be likely to target? If so, has he killed any of them?"

L clicked on the microphone and talked into it. "In fact, quite a few criminal's names have been broadcasted recently, but since you've been detained we haven't had one report of a criminal being killed by Kira."

Miya grimaced. This wasn't looking good for Light.

Light looked surprised. "Wait, no one's been killed? Really?"

"Yes."

"I see. So it's only a matter of time before I'm convicted as Kira." Light said. He didn't look upset or defeated and Miya found this odd.

"He's taking this surprisingly well," she noted. "If I were in his place I would be freaking out, if I was Kira or not. This whole confinement thing is messed up."

"If you don't like it, Miss Yamagata, you're free to leave." L said.

Miya rolled her eyes. "Quit assuming I'm gonna run away scared. I'm here to stay so get over it. I was just pointing out some things."

"I agree with you Miya," Matsuda said. "I wouldn't be taking it so well either."

She gave Matsuda an appreciative look before turning back to the television. "He's so confusing. I just don't get how he thinks. Is he calm because he has something up his sleeve or is he calm 'cause he knows he's innocent? There's just no telling with that guy."

"I agree with you Miya," Ryuzaki said. He placed his thumb on his lip in thought, his usual manner that Miya had already grown accustomed to. "What is he thinking?" he thought aloud. Only time could tell now.

* * *

By the fifth day of confinement, Misa, Light and Mr. Yagami looked exhausted, not that anyone blamed them.

"You know mister stalker, your video won't sell if it's just me sitting here the whole time." Misa said. Miya had no idea what was wrong with Misa, being so calm about the stalker situation. It seemed like the model had had plenty of stalkers before and was used to this behavior. What was wrong with this world?

"Mr. Yagami looks pretty bad," L said, staring unblinkingly at the screen. "I think he's taking this harder than Light or Misa."

"What do you expect?" Matsuda asked. "It's been five days since Light was put in prison. And look, not a single criminal who's been broadcasted has been killed. In these situations, I think the parents must suffer more than the accused."

"No kidding," Aizawa added. "Especially now that we're seeing proof that Light is Kira."

"I don't blame Mr. Yagami. I would be taking this hard also if my son was being accused of being a psychotic murderer and there was evidence to prove he was guilty. It makes you wonder where you went wrong and if it could have been prevented." Miya said.

"Mr. Yagami," L said suddenly into the microphone.

"What is it?" Mr. Yagami asked frantically to the camera in his room. "Is it good news? Is it bad news?"

"No, I wanted to tell you not to worry so much. It doesn't matter how much time you devote worrying about this. The outcome will be the same. This could go on for quite some time. Perhaps you should rest in a more comfortable place."

'Is L trying to be sympathetic?' Miya asked raising an eyebrow. 'It sounded good until he practically told the man his son was guilty no matter what…'

"Impossible!" Mr. Yagami yelled. He got closer to the camera and glared at the detectives through it. "What makes you think I care where I am? It won't change anything! With the state I'm in now this is the best place for me. And no matter what the result, when I leave here, it is going to be with my son!"

"I understand." L said simply.


	6. Friend

**Chapter 6: Friend**

"This is so boring," Miya mumbled as she sat on the arm of Ryuzaki's chair again. It was only the two of them and they had done nothing for the past two hours but stare at the television screen where the images of Misa, Light, and Mr. Yagami in confinement were shown. Miya kept fidgeting in her boredom and discomfort and was weirded out by the fact that L could sit in his "thinking" position for two hours straight without moving. She had tried sitting like that at home the night before and could barely stand it for five minutes. Her ankles were killing her and she kept losing her balance, not to mention it just made her feel stupid.

"You may leave if you would like," Ryuzaki replied easily. Miya glanced down at him, surprised he was talking. She was starting to think that she was going to have to check if he was still breathing, as he could apparently sit silently for hours as well.

"No, I wanna help," Miya said, "but this is seriously getting us nowhere. Ever since they've been locked up, it's like they've been completely different people. Unless they're just acting like they don't know what's going on."

"I agree," L sighed.

"I don't feel very accomplished just sitting here," Miya complained after a moment of silence. "We should go do something."

Ryuzaki didn't even glance at her before answering. "I can't leave right now. I must keep an eye on them. But again you are free to leave if you wish to go somewhere."

Miya rolled her eyes. "Watari's there isn't he? He'll keep an eye on them. I'm sure he's as sharp as you are to notice little details. He can inform you on anything that happens. You just need to get out of here, seriously. Take a break or something. Maybe that can help you think a little more clearly."

Ryuzaki now turned all his attention towards Miya but still didn't say anything.

"I was thinking about taking Noah to the zoo today," she continued. "I feel like a bad mother since I've been so busy with this case, and I wanted to make it up to him. You should come too, he really likes you."

"He likes me?" L asked, slightly stunned. He placed his thumb on his lip as if in thought.  
Miya nodded before leaning forward and turning on the microphone. "Watari," Miya said, sure that there was a synthetic voice on the other line. She figured if L wouldn't make the decision to take a break, then she would make it for him. "I'm going out with Miss Yamagata. Could you please watch the suspects and inform me on any new developments?"

"Yes," Watari replied. "Make sure to enjoy yourself. Miss Yamagata is a good girl."

"I will," Miya continued, still pretending to be L. She had a smile on her face and had to resist laughing, "I'm sure she'll take good care of me." Miya then clicked off the microphone and faced the detective. "Piece of cake and now you're off the hook."

"That was certainly an interesting impression of me," L replied.

"I try," Miya said brushing off her shoulder. "I'm glad Watari likes me. Okay!" she said excitedly, changing the subject without pause. "You're coming with me and Noah to the zoo!" She jumped off the chair's arm and grabbed onto L's wrist, pulling him up. "C'mon! I'm suddenly really excited!"

* * *

"Do you like the zoo, Mr. Panda?" Noah asked L as he held onto Miya's hand. They had just entered the zoo and already Noah was talking L's ear off. He really did like him. "I love the zoo!"

"I've never been to the zoo," L replied.

Noah looked shocked for a moment, then quickly recovered. "Well, what's your favorite animal?"

"I don't have one," L said. He continued to stare ahead of him with his hands in his pockets, and it was quite obvious that he had never been around children before. He didn't look once at Noah as the little boy asked him questions, and it was starting to annoy Noah. He turned to his mother and gave her pout.

"Mommy, Mr. Panda isn't being fun today."

Miya chuckled as they passed the elephant habitat. "That's because he's out of his element."

Noah tilted his head to the side. "What does that mean?"

Miya looked at Ryuzaki and saw that he wasn't looking at her, but she could tell that he was listening. "It means that Mr. Panda isn't used to being with other people so he doesn't know how to act, especially around little kids like you. And he has lots of cool detective things on his mind so he's just a little distracted. Ryuga…I mean Ryuzaki," she said turning to him. He finally looked up and acknowledged her. "If I bought you some ice cream or something, would that help you feel more at ease? You're starting to upset Noah." Noah nodded with a pout.

L finally looked down at the small boy, almost as if seeing him for the first time that day. "Feel more at ease? Maybe."

"Alright, I'll be back," Miya said, walking off to find the ice cream stand they had passed a few animal exhibits ago and leaving Ryuzaki and Noah on a nearby bench.

"What kinda cool detective stuff do you do, Mr. Panda?" Noah asked. His green eyes were wide with curiosity as he stared at the man in front of him. L suddenly felt slightly guilty for ignoring the small boy that really seemed to look up to him.

"I'm just trying to catch the bad guys, like Kira," Ryuzaki replied in as kid friendly an answer as he could muster.

Noah sighed. "I wish I was a detective. Then I can be cool like you!"

"You think I'm…cool?" This kid kept surprising L by the moment, and he found himself less annoyed and more intrigued.

Noah nodded. "Yup! I think mommy thinks you' cool too. She doesn't have many friends…" L was even more interested now. He didn't know that much about Miya to begin with, but he was surprised to hear she didn't have many friends when she always seemed to be so open and friendly. It probably had to do with the fact that she was a teenage mom. That could turn simple-minded people away from someone.

"I come bearing snacks!" Miya said with a smile when she returned a few minutes later. She held two ice cream cones in her hands, one chocolate and one vanilla with strawberries on top. She handed the one with chocolate to Noah who immediately dug in with gusto, and the vanilla one to Ryuzaki, along with a spoon. "I know how much you like strawberries," Miya added. She dug through her purse and fished out a bag of cookies. "Also, I got you some animal crackers. I figure you need the extra sugar boost."

"Thank you," Ryuzaki replied sincerely.

"Noah…" Miya groaned as she turned to her son. "Try not to get chocolate on your shirt please." She whipped out a napkin and began wiping his face clean as Ryuzaki continued to stare at her.

"Miya," he started.

"Yes?" she asked, still focused on Noah.  
"Thank you," L said. Miya looked at him curiously now. Her eyebrows were furrowed, confused as to what had come over Ryuzaki. It was just ice cream…

"I know. You said that already…you're welcome. It was no big deal."

"I've never had a real friend before," Ryuzaki admitted unexpectedly.

Miya was caught off guard. Where did that come from? All she did was get him some snacks, and now she was his only friend? Not that she minded. He really did seem to be the only person she could have intellectual conversations with lately, and it wasn't like she had millions of friends either. She was actually quite touched by this confession, even if it was random.

"I haven't either," Miya smiled. "Now eat your ice cream before it melts!" She added the last command with a chuckle as Noah looked at her empty hands in confusion.

"Mommy, you didn't get anything for yourself?" Noah asked.

"I couldn't carry another ice cream cone," Miya explained. "But it's alright." She had contemplated going back in the line, but it seemed to be growing more and more by the minute and she didn't want to wait anymore. The two boys she was accompanied with would surely be done by the time she started eating hers.

"Here." It was Ryuzaki. He held out his plastic spoon out to Miya for her to take it. She stared at it, unsure of why he was trying to give it to her. "You can have some of my ice cream," Ryuzaki explained, staring at the desert. "It's very delicious."

Miya couldn't help it. She blushed slightly as she took the spoon from him. Her fingers ended up brushing the back of his hand, and if Miya wasn't already holding the spoon, Ryuzaki would have dropped it in surprise. "Thanks…" she said quietly. She scooped up a small spoonful of vanilla ice cream and agreed that it really was quite yummy!

When they had all finished their snack, they continued walking and viewing the animals. Noah had insisted on holding Ryuzaki's hand for the remainder of the time they were there, and Miya was almost afraid L would deny him. She was pleasantly surprised however when he didn't. He seemed a little shy at first but then warmed up to Noah right away. It was an extremely adorable sight, she had to admit.

"Pandas next!" Noah said. He let go of Ryuzaki's hand and ran ahead to the panda exhibit.

"Be careful," Miya warned as the two adults walked behind him. She then turned to L, who was watching Noah peer over the fence that held the animals with excitement. "I'm glad you're feeling a little more relaxed now. You're allowed to be a person around me, you know."

Before Ryuzaki could reply, Noah's voice could be heard. "Mommy, come see the pandas!" Miya chuckled and headed over there, L right behind her. There were four adult pandas roaming around in their habitat. They looked completely peaceful as they sat around, some eating, others staring up at the on looking people with curiosity.

"Don't they look like Mr. Panda, mommy?"

Miya had to resist the urge to laugh as she stared down at the animals and suddenly saw where Noah was coming from. With their eyes encircled by dark fur, the panda's eyes were looking more like L's eyes by the second.

"Wow, Ryuzaki, you really do like a panda!" Miya said, meeting his gaze. "It's your eyes."

"I'm not exactly sure how to take that comment," Ryuzaki said as he observed the large animals.

"It's a good thing!" Noah said enthusiastically. "Pandas are cool!"

Ryuzaki half-smiled at this comment when suddenly his phone rang. He recognized the number right away.

"Anything?" he asked. Miya figured it must have been Watari calling. Maybe someone had confessed or something important had happened. "Nothing at all?" Ryuzaki's shoulders hunched over more, if that were possible, in disappointment and he looked completely defeated now. "I see."

He hung up and faced Miya. "I hate to leave so quickly but I feel I should get back. I need to get something out of Light and Misa." Miya looked back at him in confusion.

"Didn't Watari just say nothing has happened? Why are you worrying about it again? Watari will tell you if something happens!"

"I understand that, but I feel like I am ignoring my duties. I must get back. Thank you for inviting me." And with that, L turned around and walked away, leaving Miya and Noah to finish walking about the zoo alone.

* * *

L sat in front of the television screen again as soon as he entered the hotel room. It was almost like Misa and Light were in the same position when he left; in fact, he was almost certain that neither of them had moved. They hadn't said anything at all and L suddenly felt himself getting frustrated.

He really wished he hadn't left Miya and Noah so fast, but he wouldn't say it out loud. He had actually started to enjoy himself, which was new for him, before Watari's call brought him back to reality. He was in the middle of solving a case. He shouldn't be out wasting time or getting distracted. This was important.

"Ryuzaki," he heard Watari's voice call to him.

"Yes?"

There was a small pause before the old man asked, "Did you have a good time?"

This was definitely something L wasn't expecting and he was hesitant in answering the question. For some reason, he found himself half-smiling again and replied, "Yes I did. It's nice having a friend. But regardless, let's get back to the case."

* * *

When Miya and Noah made it home after the long day, she saw that her parents were sitting at the table already eating dinner. She and Noah had grabbed a bite to eat just a while earlier and so she sent him upstairs.

"Noah, why don't you show Rocky your room?" she suggested. Rocky was the new addition to Noah's toy collection. He was a small Panda toy named Ryuzaki, only Noah couldn't pronounce it, so it ended up sounding more like Rocky. She had bought it at the zoo's gift shop right before they left.

"Okay!" he said excitedly, running up the stairs to his room quickly. "Come on Rocky you can meet Panda!"

"Did you two enjoy yourself?" her mother asked her as she sat down beside her.

Miya nodded. "Noah had a great time. What's this?" she asked, getting distracted by a sort of invitation on the table. It looked very fancy with parchment-like stationary and cursive, gold lettering.

"It's for a dinner party that my boss is holding," her father explained. He was in a career of politics and had plenty of parties like these to attend. They usually involved people in magnificent clothing waltzing gracefully across an ornately decorated room. "He wants the whole family there, including you."

"Me?" Miya asked, surprised. She wasn't usually invited to these things.

"Yes, and you can even bring that new boyfriend of yours," her mother added with a smile.

"My boyfriend…right…" Miya cursed herself for lying about that, but she had really needed a reason to explain her disappearance. As far as her parents knew, she was still working at the restaurant. In reality, she was working longer and more headache inducing hours with the detectives, but she couldn't just come out and say that she was working alongside L to bring down Kira. Her parents would just freak out. Boyfriend was the best idea that came to mind, and now it was backfiring. Her parents wanted her to bring her "boyfriend" to the party! What was she going to do? "I'm sure he'd love to come," Miya sighed, lying through her teeth.

"That's great!" her mother said with an even wider smile than before. She was always poking around in Miya's personal life, wanting her to get out and date more often.

"Yeah, we can see how out of his league he is," her father said gruffly. Miya rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to go call him now and tell him," she said quickly, excusing herself. When she made it to her room, she pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Ryuzaki's number. Surely he would do her a favor…

"Yes?" she heard his voice say on the other end.

"Hi Ryuzaki."

"Ah, Miya, what is it?"

"I actually wanted to ask you a favor…" she said unsurely.

"A favor?"

"Yeah, see my parents and I were invited to this fancy party and they want me to bring my boyfriend with me…" She hesitated, waiting to see his reaction. It seemed to go right over his head.

"I don't see the issue here," Ryuzaki said bluntly. "Just ask your boyfriend if he would like to attend with you."

Miya groaned. "I don't have a boyfriend. That's where you come in."

"Hmm?" Ryuzaki said. Apparently Miya was going to have to spell it out for him.

"Can you please pretend to be my boyfriend for the party? I'll owe you big time!"

"Why did you lie to your parents?" he questioned. Miya sighed before explaining.

"Did you expect me to just tell them that I'm trying to bring down Kira in my spare time? I had to tell them something believable to explain why I was out so much more. And now they want to meet my imaginary boyfriend! Please do this for me! I'm begging you!"

"I'm not sure if I can."

"Please!" Miya begged. "My next option is Matsuda…he's nice and everything but I don't think he can pull off lying to my parents."

Ryuzaki was silent for a long time before finally sighing. "Alright. I'll accompany you to the party."

"Thank you so much!" Miya rejoiced. "It's really fancy so you'll have to dress up. Coat and tie. Thanks again! You're a great friend!" And then she hung up before he could change his mind. That had been easier than she thought it would be.


	7. Transformation

A/N: I just couldn't resist posting this already. I mean, L is in a tux...I had to share that with the world! And just so you know, I'll most likely be posting the next one tomorrow night so keep an eye on that. Oh yeah, I appreciate the suggestions by the way but we're already on Chapter 27 as we speak so we're pretty far ahead already. And thanks for the reviews! We're so glad you guy like this! This is probably my favorite story we've writting so far! Anyway, enjoy and please review!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Transformation**

Miya walked into the hotel room of the week, for some reason exhausted despite the fact that most of their time the past seven days had been spent watching Light Yagami, Misa Amane, and Mr. Yagami do absolutely nothing. Miya still wasn't sure why on earth Light would ask to put himself in that situation, and it made her more suspicious of him than she had ever been. She was starting to side with L on the issue; it seemed premeditated.

As she entered, she was hoping to find something interesting, whether it be a new development in the case or just some exciting conversation. Unfortunately, she found neither. Instead, she was faced with the usual scene of worn out detectives sitting about with their faces buried in their hands and an unblinking L staring at the repetitive image on the screen.

"I'm here!" she said enthusiastically, attempting to get some excitement in the place. Matsuda waved a friendly wave in return, and that was about the only response she got. L continued to stare as if she hadn't walked in, and the other detectives were too wiped out to even say hello.

"Fun day," Miya grumbled walking up to L and resting on the arm of his chair with a long and drawn out sigh. She looked over to him, expecting him to look up. When he didn't, she tilted her head to the side and decided to entertain herself.

'…59...60...' she finished counting in her head. 'How can he not blink for a whole minute? And his eyes aren't even watering!' Miya couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and jumped in front of him, clapping her hands together as hard a she could just a few inches away from his face. L stared at her hand for a moment, his eyes never blinking, and then looked up at her with confusion.

"Miya, may I ask why you just did that?" Miya was shocked, and leaned her face toward his, looking into his eyes. L leaned back slightly. "What is the matter Miss Yamagata?"

"How could you possibly not have blinked?" she wondered in awe, leaning back away from him and crossing her arms with a confused expression. "Do you ever blink?"

"Of course I blink," L replied obviously.

"Do it," Miya commanded. L just stared at her. "Blink damn it!" L let out a sigh, and then blinked once.

"Satisfied?" he asked, shifting his gaze back to the television.

"Wow, you should really do that more often," Miya said, laughing slightly. "It really creeps me out when you don't blink."

"I'll keep that in mind," L replied. Miya sighed and looked toward the television. Misa was tied up as usual, Mr. Yagami was in a chair with his face buried in his hands, and Light was on the ground, his arms wrapped around his knees.

"They look pretty rough," Miya commented. "And no one's talking?"

"Not a word," L replied. "I'm not sure of Light's purpose for this voluntary confinement in the first place, and Misa appears to be clueless."

"Light is suspicious to me," Miya said. "Why put yourself through this?" L nodded slightly before leaning forward to the microphone.

"Light, you've only been here for one week," he pointed out. "But I'm sure it can't be easy. Are you feeling alright?" Miya tuned in to listen, and after a moment Light spoke.

"Yeah," he said. "I know I must look pretty bad in her but this useless pride, I suppose I'll have to get rid of it!" he yelled the last part, and Miya furrowed her eyebrows.

"What is he talking about?" she wondered as the other detectives gathered around. "Wait did you see that?"

"What?" L said quickly, turning toward her.

"His face just changed…like, he looked confident and now he looks…confused…" L turned back to the screen just at Light continued speaking.

"Ryuzaki, I realize that I was the one pushing for confinement, and that I asked you to put me in here, but I just realized something important. This whole thing's completely pointless!" A few detectives gasped as he continued. "Because I'm not Kira! You have to get me out of here!"

"See!" Miya pointed out. "He's acting just like Misa now. Like he doesn't know what's going on!"

"But he knows what's going on," Matsuda pointed out. "He just said that he put himself in there."

"But look at his face," Miya said. "Something just happened, I'm sure of it."

"I can't do that," L said into the microphone, answering Light. "I promised you that no matter what you said I wouldn't let you out until I was convinced that you are not Kira."

"Please L!" Light begged. "I wasn't thinking clearly. Do you really think a serial killer like Kira could commit those crimes without being aware of them? If I have no memory of his crimes, I'm not him!"

"That's not what he said before…" Miya said, furrowing her eyebrows as L spoke into the microphone.

"I've never been able to accept this idea that Kira has been acting without self awareness all this time, but that doesn't change the fact that all the evidence points to you being Kira. Since we imprisoned you, Kira hasn't committed a single murder." Light's voice sounded stressed when he answered, a sound that was reflected in his appearance.

"Listen! Just hear me out! I swear to you I'm not lying you have to believe me! I am not Kira! I must have been framed! That's the only explanation for this! You have to let me out we're wasting time!"

"We can't let you out yet," L replied simply, obviously lost in thought now.

"Damn," Light cursed. "Why is this happening?"

"Because you asked us to put you in there!" Miya half yelled at the screen, getting frustrated. Why was everyone playing the dumb card lately?

"What the hell is going on?" Aizawa wondered aloud. "This isn't like Light at all. He's contradicting himself. It doesn't make any sense to me."

"Well we can't release him now that the murders have stopped," Matsuda pointed out. "It doesn't matter what he says. I mean, even I know that much." Miya sighed as Aizawa spoke again.

"Anyway I don't care what anyone says. As far as I'm concerned, we have all the proof we need. Light Yagami is Kira and that's the end of it." He sounded firm, but Miya wasn't sure what to think. She was quite convinced that Light was Kira, but his reactions weren't making sense. No, something had happened just a moment ago. The question was what? And as Miya looked at L, she could tell that he wasn't sure what to make of the situation either.

* * *

After a long day at school and dinner at home with Noah, Miya headed down the street toward headquarters, garment bag in hand. In the other hand she held a newspaper, reading the articles as she walked. Miraculously she managed to reach her destination without running into anything, and she stepped through the door with an annoyed look on her face.

"So Kira's killing again, huh?" she said, dropping the newspaper on a table with a sigh. "Great how's that fit into the case? I mean we're not just going to let Light out, right?"

"No," Ryuzaki replied. "He's still in confinement and I plan to keep him there until things get clearer."

"Mr. Yagami knows the news though," Matsuda explained. "He seems more at ease, which is good."

"And Light?" Miya asked curiously.

"He doesn't know," Aizawa answered.

"Yeah and don't try to tell him," Matsuda warned. "Ryuzaki might slap you."

"Huh?" Miya asked, turning to L, who looked back at Matsuda.

"Yes I apologize for that," he said. "But I don't want to let him think he's off the hook. If he is Kira, I want him to admit it." Miya nodded.

"This sure is getting complicated." She noticed L eyeing the bag in her hand, so she lifted it off her arm and held it out to him. "It's your tux," she explained. "I figured you wouldn't have one and wouldn't leave this little chamber to go get one so I brought it for you!"

"What are you bringing him a tux for?" Aizawa asked, confused. Miya smiled.

"Ryuzaki has agreed to escort me to a dance being held by my father's company." Matsuda and Aizawa exchanged glances, and then burst out laughing. Miya placed the garment bag on the side of L's chair and crossed her arms.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Everything you just said," Aizawa replied, clearing his throat in an attempt to get his laughter back in check. Matsuda was still chuckling under his breath.

"Well it was either him or Matsuda!" Miya retorted. Realizing this could be taken badly, she turned to a no longer amused Matsuda with an innocent smile. "No offense." This just sent Aizawa into deeper laughter, and so L cleared his throat.

"Back to work please," he ordered them. Aizawa shook his head, obviously still amused, and followed a slightly hurt Matsuda to the pile of papers on the table in the back. Miya rolled her eyes at them and turned to L.

"You ready for tomorrow night?" she asked. L didn't respond, so she shook his shoulder. He jumped slightly and shook his head.

"Actually Miya I was thinking that with all the new developments in the case it may not be wise for me to leave." Miya groaned.

"What new developments? Okay yeah so Light changed his attitude and Kira is killing again, but all you are going to do tomorrow night if you stay here is sit in front of this TV and stare at people who aren't going to say anything new anyways. Plus, you've got a team of detectives here on standby and Watari, who already informs you of any changes in the case! I think you can afford one night off."

"Regardless, I feel like I would be neglecting my duties and-"

"L Ryuzaki Ryuga you are going!" Miya interrupted firmly. "You promised me you would come and it's just wrong to go back on your promises. Now my parents are going to know I'm a liar and then I'll have to explain the situation and that will just make them worry." She tried to put just the right amount of distress in her voice to get to L, and it seemed to work.

"Why would you think I don't have a tux," he said, lifting the garment bag up between his fingers.

"Well you wear the same thing every day," Miya shrugged. "So I figure you either have twenty copies of that outfit or you wear the same one every day. No need to tell me though I'm okay with it remaining a mystery. But why does it matter what I thought? You don't have a suit do you?"

"No," L replied. "I just find that you may want to be careful assuming things."

"Well if I'm going to assume correctly then what's the harm?" Miya detected the slightest smile at her words, and so she figured it was safe to swoop in. "So I can assume that you're coming then?"

"Yes I suppose I did promise," he said blankly, defeated. Miya placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "You're a good friend."

* * *

"Wow, mommy," Noah said, stepping into his mother's bedroom to see Miya decked out in formal wear. He had the stuffed panda he had named Rocky in tow. "You look pretty!" Miya smiled warmly down at her son as she put on the last silver earring.

"Thanks baby," she said, looking in the mirror to double check her appearance. She hardly recognized the woman staring back at her, as it wasn't too often she got to dress up like this. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a complicated up-do her mother had fixed for her, a few strands of loosely curled hair falling gracefully around her face. A silky red dress clung to her slim figure, cascading to the floor and billowing out slightly at the bottom. The top was a halter, with a v shaped neckline that was cut slightly low, but not enough for Miya to feel uncomfortable. The halter straps tied around her neck into a bow that hung over the mostly open back of the dress. Miya nodded to herself, a final seal of approval before walking over to the bed and sitting down so she could slide on her shoes. She'd gone with flats, as she assumed heals would make her taller than the already hunched over L.

"Is Mister Panda coming hewe mommy?" Noah asked, looking up at Miya with big eyes.

"No, I'm going to meet him and then we're going to go to the dance where grandpa and grandma are. Mrs. Hidaki is going to watch you." This was the frantic neighbor who often called to update Miya on any news broadcasts. She was a nice woman however and always treated Noah with kindness.

"Oh…" Noah said, slightly disappointed. "Hey mommy?"

"Yes?" Miya asked him, sliding on her last shoe and standing up, ready to go.

"Is Mr. Panda yo new boyfriend?" he asked blankly. That caught Miya off guard, and she whipped around to face him.

"What?" she said. "No sweetie where did you get that idea?"

"Gama said you were bwinging yo new boyfriend to the party!" Noah giggled, clapping his hands as if he were delighted by the idea of this. Miya clapped her hand to her forehead and shook her head.

"Oh sweetie I just told her that cause…well see I had to. But Ryuzaki is just my friend, okay?"

"You lied to gama?" Noah said, looking like that was the most shocking thing he'd ever heard. "You bad mommy!" Miya couldn't help but feel guilty. She was being scolded by her four year old son after all.

"No see Noah just…okay just please don't tell grandma!"

"Okay…" Noah agreed reluctantly. "But you owe me a new toy!" He giggled, and Miya wondered where he learned this blackmail technique from.

"Alright you'd better go grab anything you want to bring over to Mrs. Hidaki's," Miya said, ushering him out of the room. Noah stopped at the door and turned around.

"Hey mommy?"

"Yes?" she replied, looking back at him.

"If you do want to have Mr. Panda as yo' boyfriend, it's okay with me!"

"Um…thanks sweetie," Miya said with a slight chuckle as he ran out of the room.

* * *

"Wow Miya…" Matsuda blushed when she walked into headquarters. "You look really pretty."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. It then occurred to her that L wasn't in his chair, though she wasn't sure why she was expecting him to be. "Where's Ryuzaki?"

"In there," Aizawa said, pointing toward the door that led to a small bedroom. Miya nodded and headed over, about to just open it before she realized he might not be dressed. So instead she knocked.

"Matsuda I told you to stay by the TV!" L's voice said from the other side. He sounded frustrated, and Miya hoped he wasn't in there cursing about that damn detective girl that was making him come to a stupid party.

"Um…it's Miya," she replied uncertainly. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, Miss Yamagata," L said. "Please, come in." Miya turned the doorknob and stepped in to see Ryuzaki facing the wall.

"You okay?" she asked, as he seemed to be struggling with something. He turned around, and Miya caught her breath. His appearance was definitely unexpected. He looked…good. Really good. Attractive, even. The weirdest part was that there was nothing different about him except what he was wearing.

"I can't seem to get this cuff thing…" he mumbled though his teeth. He was biting his sleeve, apparently trying to hook the cuff, and with his other hand he was pulling at a half undone tie that sat on a mostly unbuttoned shirt. "Could you help me?" he sighed, dropping his arms back down to his side. Miya noticed the slightest bit of muscle on his stomach that she hadn't been aware of before and she found herself standing there like an idiot.

"Miss Yamagata?" L said after a moment. "You alright?"

"Uh…yeah," Miya said quickly, snapping out of it. "Here let me help you with your sleeve. Hopefully you didn't drool on it." She figured joking was the best way to cover up her momentary surprise.

"I…don't think I drooled," L said unsurely as he held out his sleeve for her. It was then that he was able to fully take in her appearance.

"There you go," she said, letting go of his sleeve. He was staring at her and she looked around.

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling self conscious.

"You look quite nice," he complimented. "Beautiful, I suppose would be a better term." He mumbled the last part as he admired her cuff fastening skills, but that didn't stop Miya from hearing it. She blushed, which was always more embarrassing, and waved her hand.

"Oh, thanks," she said quickly. "Um, we'd better get going."

"I…can't really tie a tie either…" L said, looking down at the sloppy knot that was definitely not right. Miya laughed and stepped up to help him.

"Wow, the great L actually can't do something perfectly?" she chuckled. L shrugged.

"I suppose I'm, how did you put it recently, out of my element here." Miya laughed and reached for his tie, realizing there was quite a bit of his pale skin visible.

"Here you have to button…" Miya said, reaching down to his stomach without thinking to help him. She stopped herself, however, before the first button was done. "…um yeah I'll let you do that." L looked at her for a moment and then looked down to button his shirt. Miya then grabbed a hold of his tie and fixed it quickly.

"There you go Mr. Panda," she said with a grin, patting his shoulder. "You clean up pretty good."

"You like to make fun of me don't you Miss Yamagata?"

"Sure do," Miya laughed, holding her arm out to him. He clearly had no idea why she was doing that, so she slid her arm under his and led him to the door.

"I feel like this is going to be embarrassing," L said as Miya pulled him into the main area of the suite. Sure enough, they were greeted with chuckles and a rousing "woo-hoo" whistles from one of the detectives whom L reminded himself to fire later.

"Keep an eye on the screen, and make sure to inform me of any changes," L reminded the team for the fiftieth time.

"Yeah yeah, they got it. Come on," Miya said, dragging him out the door with a force he wasn't aware she had in her. The detectives got in a few last minute chuckles before he disappeared out the door.

"You think he can handle himself?" Matsuda asked Aizawa.

"Against Miya?" Aizawa said. "Not a chance." Matsuda chuckled when a sudden voice made him jump.

"Matsuda, Aizawa," Watari's voice commanded through the microphone. "You'd better get back to work!"

"Yes sir!" they both said, quickly resuming their posts.


	8. Impression

**Chapter 8: Impression**

"May I ask what this sort of event entails?" L asked as they drove along in Miya's car. She was at the wheel, and L was in the passenger seat, gripping the side handle on the door as it turned out Miya was not the best driver out there, or at least not the most cautious one. Normally she traveled by subway, but she thought this method of travel while in formal wear would be weird. It also didn't help that he was sitting with his knees up to his chest.

"Well my dad attends these things like every year, and I've been once or twice. From what I remember it's a dinner, and then there's dancing and mingling. All that kind of stuff."

"And as I understand it, I'm supposed to believably act as your boyfriend?" L asked, placing his thumb on his lip as he thought about this.

"Yeah," Miya confirmed. "See, I'll just introduce you to my parents. Just make it seem like we're really happy together and that you love me. Then we'll eat and have dessert."

"Dessert?" Ryuzaki asked, turning to face her. "What kind?"

"I don't know. Now focus!" Miya commanded, turning the wheel into the fancy parking lot of the first class hotel where the party was being held. "Okay, so just remember, we're happy and in love. Just follow that rule and you'll be good."

"Alright, I suppose I can manage that much," L sighed as they pulled to a stop. Miya put the vehicle in park and hopped out, walking to the other side to meet L, who was pulling himself out of the car. She still couldn't believe how awesome she was for picking a suit that looked amazing on the odd character. She just hoped her parents would see what she was seeing.

"Ready?" Miya asked, holding her arm out to him. L now understood the gesture, and so laced his arm with hers and led her toward the entrance. They stepped inside to see a large, round ballroom lined with table clothed tables and fancy wooden chairs. The middle of the room was cleared out for dancing that was sure to take place later in the night.

"There are my parents," Miya said, spotting the pair that was sitting at a table with another couple. There were two empty seats, and so Miya headed over to join the group. She couldn't help but notice the number of odd stares in her direction as she walked by on the arm of Ryuzaki. She knew they were observing his hunched-over posture and messy hair, and probably his darkened eyes as well, and for a moment she began to think that maybe Matsuda would have been the better choice. But no, Matsuda couldn't play it cool, and that was something she was sure L could do.

"Hey mom," Miya said once they reached the table. "Hey dad."

"Hi sweetheart," the burly man, Miya's father, greeted.

"So…?" her mother said, eyeing the dark haired man peculiarly. "Are you going to introduce us?" Miya knew her mother would skip any greeting to get the scoop on this new guy, and so she was prepared for her straight to the point attitude. She gulped slightly, hoping for the best, and smiled.

"Yes this is…"

"Hideki Ryuga," L finished. "Nice to meet you." Ryuga, right. Miya had forgotten to ask what his name for the evening would be. Her father smiled, but he had some hidden expression on his face. Probably confusion, as this man looked nothing like other guys Miya had been interested in before. In fact, he looked nothing like anyone he'd ever seen before in his life!

"Um…nice to meet you too, Hideki," Miya's mother said, shooting her daughter a curious expression. "Mr. Yamaguchi and I have heard so much about you. Why don't we sit down at the table?" L wasn't sure what they could have possibly heard about him, but he was assuming it was just a figure of speech. Her parents headed over to where they had been sitting, joining the other couple whom Miya now recognized as another politician in town.

"I didn't think he'd be _that_ out of her league," her father whispered to her mother as they sat.

"Shh, be nice dear he's…unique." Miya sat down and slid her arm out from under L's, which was actually harder than she'd imagined.

"You only have to hold my arm when we're walking," Miya laughed, leaning in so he could hear her. L looked at her and nodded slightly, and then did what Miya had forgotten he would do but should have expected. He pulled his knees up to his chest in his chair and rested his arms on them. Miya's parents stared at him curiously as Miya smiled nervously.

"That's an interesting position," the politician beside her parents pointed out.

"Yes, I find it improves my deductive reasoning skills by up to forty percent," Ryuzaki explained. Miya watched everyone stare at him in confusion and suddenly found herself wishing there was a hole nearby so she could crawl in it and die.

"So Ryuga," Mr. Yamaguchi began slowly, looking to the man supposedly dating his daughter. "How long have you two been dating?"

"I'm not sure…" L answered, placing his thumb to his lip in thought. Perhaps he couldn't bluff as well as Miya had been hoping.

"Three months," Miya spit out instantly. "Remember honey?"

"Ah, yes that's right," L said, dropping his hand back to his knee. "It's difficult to remember sometimes. We're just so happy and in love." He said the words with no emotion, and Miya knew he was just repeating her instructions from the car. Damn him for being so literal.

'Oh well, nothing left to do but go along with it,' Miya thought to herself before chuckling. "Oh yeah, happy and in love. That's us I tell you." Miya's mother smiled politely and nodded.

"And just what are your intentions with my daughter?" Mr. Yamaguchi asked with a chuckle. L opened his mouth to speak, but Miya nudged him in the side.

"That's rhetorical," she said quickly before L said something embarrassing or stupid. Thankfully her parents were being polite, at least that was a relief. What she wasn't counting on, however, was the jerk of a guy at their table.

"Say, uh, Ryuga is it?" the dark haired, middle aged man asked. "Do you sleep? Your eyes are like, really dark man."

"Actually, no I don't get much sleep," L replied casually. "I have a tiring job."

"Oh really?" Mrs. Yamaguchi asked. "What is it you do dear?"

"Well I…work with the police," L answered safely. Miya gave him an encouraging smile before that jerky politician opened his big mouth again.

"Oh geez, do you know anything about that L character?" he asked curiously. "That idiot doesn't know what the hell he's doing! Kira is roaming around murdering people and where's the justice?" Miya clapped her hand to her head and groaned.

"No, actually I've never met him," Ryuzaki replied blankly. "But I hear he's doing his best."

"He's brilliant from what I've heard," Miya added, throwing a glance toward L, who looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah sure, whatever you say," the man grumbled, turning away from their conversation to speak to the woman escorting him. By this time, however, the waiters were carrying the food out of the kitchen, and Miya sighed in relief, hoping chewing would take away some of this conversation time. She could tell by her father's face that he was confused, and by her mother's face that she was wondering what the hell her daughter was doing with this weirdo.

"Ah good, food," her father said as the waiter set down the plates in front of everyone. In front of them was quite a yummy looking tray of fish, rice, and vegetable rolls. L, on the other hand, did not look impressed. Ah yes, it would be a lovely dinner indeed.

* * *

After a half hour of light conversation, Miya looked over to see that L had not touched his plate. She leaned over toward him to whisper in his ear.

"Ryuga, why aren't you eating?"

L stared blankly at his plate for a moment before whispering back, "I don't want any of this." Miya sighed and glanced to her parents, who were now looking at his full plate with curiosity.

"I'm begging you," she whispered. "Eat just a little. It won't kill you."

"It very well could," L retorted. Miya rolled her eyes.

"Don't make me put on a show!" L was obviously confused by this, and turned to her with unblinking eyes.

"Put on a show?" he asked. Miya realized that that was the only option, so she instantly burst into loud laughter.

"Oh Hideki," she laughed, picking up her fork. "Here baby, I know you ate right before we came but you can't let this food go to waste."

"What are you doing?" L asked, confused. Miya giggled and stabbed the vegetable roll with her fork before bringing it up to his mouth.

"Open wide honey," she smiled, a slightly evil smile L would say. He stared at her for the longest second before reluctantly opening his mouth. Miya took the opportunity and swooped in, shoving the bite in his mouth so fast she practically choked him.

"Now sweetheart, if he just ate there's no need to force him to eat the food," her father said with the wave of his hand. Though L was just staring at him, chewing the dreaded bite, Miya knew that his blank expression was an appreciative one.

"Oh okay," she laughed. "I just love him so much that I want to make sure he's healthy!" Almost as if to contradict her words, the desert tray rolled out, and Miya saw the gleam in Ryuga's eye.

"You're going to blow my 'you're full' cover," Miya warned him. But when the tray rolled to their table and Miya saw the strawberry shortcake, she knew it was all over.

"Yes, I'll take three of those please," L said, much to the waiter's surprise.

"Uh, okay sir…" he replied as he placed the huge slices in front of Ryuga, who picked up his fork between his thumb and index finger and dug in.

"He just…loves desserts…" Miya said with the fakest smile she'd ever sported. Her parents were staring, not only because of the amount of desserts, but also because of the way he was holding his fork and the way he was vacuuming that food up.

"Mmm…very good…" L mumbled with his mouth full. Miya tried to laugh and play it off like he was adorable, but on the inside she was screaming. This was probably the worst plan she'd ever had! How could she possibly expect her parents to believe she was happily in love with this…eccentric person? She was used to L by now, but to them he was like an alien.

* * *

After an…interesting…meal, people began heading to the dance floor. Miya's father stood up and held his hand out to Mrs. Yamaguchi, who took it gladly. He was about to leave Miya and L alone, when he for some reason decided to encourage their relationship.

"Aren't you going to ask her to dance, son?" he said curiously. L furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"By calling me son is he securing my place as your future husband?" he wondered aloud. Miya's eyes widened and she covered it with a loud laugh.

"Ha ha, isn't he funny?" she said, standing up. "Come on Hideki, let's dance." L warily stood up and took her hand, following her parents to the dance floor. They spun off gracefully, putting even more pressure on the boyfriend impersonator.

"I'm afraid I'll need instruction Miya. I have no idea how to do this…" he admitted, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he stood facing her. Miya smiled and grabbed his arm.

"Well, for starters you need free hands," she said, pulling his arms until his hands were free from his pockets. "And now that hand goes on my waist," she instructed.

"Your…waist?" he said sheepishly. Miya laughed and grabbed his wrist, placing his hand on her side. She was fairly certain L would have blushed if he had any sort of complexion whatsoever.

"Okay and now this hand holds mine," she said, taking his hand. "And my other hand goes on your shoulder. Oh, and we're too far away." The two were standing about a foot apart, and so Miya stepped forward to close the gap. "Okay, now just keep in step with the music and it will be okay." L hesitantly took a step forward in an attempt to lead, and instead stepped on her foot.

"Ow…" Miya winced, laughing slightly. "Okay, you know what? I'm just gonna lead us. Just follow my steps, okay?"

"Okay…" L said, stepping with her as best he could. It wasn't so bad, he found, and soon they were dancing well enough.

"Hmm, I'm sorry if I haven't been the best of escorts this evening," L apologized.

"It's okay," Miya shrugged. "After all the handsomely wrapped jerks in my past my parents should be smart enough to believe that a nice guy might come in a Ryuga shaped package."

"I'm assuming that was meant as a compliment," L said. The two were actually very close together, and so L found himself almost whispering as he spoke.

"Oh it was," Miya assured him. "You're a good guy Ryuga, even if you are out of your element."

"Hmm, it's true, this is outside of my expertise," he said, glancing down at their dancing feet.

"Yeah have you ever been out anywhere with a girl before?" Miya asked curiously without thinking. She hoped he wouldn't take it offensively, and thankfully he didn't seem to.

"No, I suppose you would be my first official date," he thought aloud. "Even if it is fake."

"Well in that case, let's make it a good one," she laughed, spinning herself out and then back in. To her surprise, L actually caught her hand gracefully as if they'd practiced the dance move.

"Wow, maybe you can add this to your list of talents," she teased as they continued to dance.

* * *

"Thanks so much for doing that," Miya said sincerely on the ride home. After some dancing and a few more embarrassing conversations, the party had ended. "I know it must have been awkward for you."

"Yes, I'm sorry your parents didn't seem to approve of our relationship," L apologized. Miya laughed.

"Please, they'll be fine," she assured him. "My mom had some wine which means tomorrow she'll probably remember you as a sexy beast. She always does that."

"Sexy beast?" L wondered aloud. "Hmm, interesting choice of words."

"Don't go growing an ego over drunken memories," Miya warned as she glanced at the clock. "Oh geez, I really need to pick Noah up. My neighbor is probably wondering where I am."

"Well, if you need to go home I can call Watari to send me a car," L explained. "You don't have to go out of your way to drop me off."

"Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly. L nodded.

"Absolutely. No trouble at all." Miya thanked him a thousand times as they turned down a road that cut straight to her parents' home. She parked in the driveway and hopped out, L doing the same. He stood patiently in the driveway as Miya ran to the neighbor's and returned a few minutes later with Noah. He was walking alongside her, holding her hand.

"Mr. Panda!" he yelled excitedly when he saw L, running up and hugging his leg. This caught L off guard, and he looked down at the bright eyed boy as he let go. "Mommy said I wouldn't see you today but look! You here!"

"Okay sweetie, we need to get you to bed so Ryuga can go home," Miya said, heading for the house.

"Mr. Panda?" Noah said, grabbing his hand. "Will you tuck me in today?" L looked to Miya, who raised an eyebrow. She had no idea what his response to that would be.

"Uh…yeah sure…" he said slowly, much to Miya's surprise. Noah giggled excitedly and pulled L toward the house, bursting through the door and leading him up the stairs.

"Shh…" Miya warned. "Grandma and Grandpa are probably sleeping." They had left a little bit before Miya and L, and their car had been in the driveway when they arrived. Noah opened the door to his room, still dragging L, and headed over to his bed.

"My jammies are over there!" he pointed toward a drawer. "You get them and I go change." Miya waved a hand at L to excuse him from this and went to get the pajamas.

"Here, I'll help," Miya offered the four year old.

"No, I do it!" Noah said, grabbing the Pjs and running from the room.

"Sorry about this…" Miya said.

"I don't mind," L replied. Soon, Noah came running back and, other than his backwards t-shirt, there were no major wardrobe malfunctions.

"Did you brush your teeth?" Miya asked. Noah flashed a smile.

"Minty fresh!" he replied.

"I taught him that," Miya chuckled, looking to L. Noah jumped into bed and lay down, waiting patiently for L.

"Mr. Panda you gotta put the blankie over me!" Noah instructed. L looked around and spotted the blanket at the edge of the bed. He walked over and grabbed it in between his fingers, pulling it over the small child.

"Thanks!" Noah laughed. "And now I need Panda and Rocky!" L could not forget the stuffed animal with the "original" name, though he did not recognize the other name.

"Rocky?" he questioned, pulling the familiar Panda from the pile of toys.

"I got him at the zoo!" Noah informed L. "He's named after you cause he's a panda!" L looked over to see another stuffed panda and grabbed it, handing them both to the small boy.

"He means Ryuzaki," Miya explained. "Can't pronounce it." Noah was looking sleepy now, and so Miya decided they were good to leave.

"Goodnight," Miya said, she kissed him on the head and then headed for the door. L followed her, but turned when Noah called his name.

"Yes?" he said.

"I just want tell you that you my new best friend…" Noah said sleepily, settling into his blankets. L stared at him, and smiled slightly.

"Another friend," he mused. "Interesting." It wasn't every day that L made new friends, even if they were in preschool.

"Thanks for that," Miya said as they headed back downstairs. "You really didn't have to."

"It's alright Miya, I assure you," L insisted. "In fact, I find Noah to be quite a fascinating child."

"I'm going to assume that was a compliment," she said, quoting his words from before.

"It was," L reassured her. By this time they had reached the door, and Miya looked outside to see a car in the driveway.

"When did you call them?" she asked blankly. Not once had she seen him pull out his phone.

"I called when we got here," L replied casually. Wow, he was good.

"Okay well again, thanks for everything," Miya said, leaning forward and placing a friendly kiss on his cheek. L raised his hand to touch the spot, as he had not been expecting that at all.

"No problem…" he said as Miya opened the door.

"Bye!" she called out after him. "See you tomorrow!" L nodded as he walked away.

"Indeed. Have a good night Miss Yamagata." Miya closed the door after him and sighed. That had certainly been an interesting night, though, despite everything, she couldn't say it had been a bad one.


	9. Rejection

A/N: Hm...maybe I'm posting these chapters too fast. Should I leave some space in between? Like every other day or once every week? Lemme know! Enjoy and please review!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Rejection**

"I'm not Kira!" Light was yelling on the screen again. It was his thirty-ninth day of confinement, and he had made a daily point of screaming his innocence. Miya just didn't get it, and so she tried to ignore Light if possible. All his yelling did was distract everyone from trying to figure out the case.

"Can we shut that off?" Miya asked, rubbing her head. She was resting on the arm of L's chair, fighting the monster headache that was threatening to attack.

"Light, as I've informed you every day we cannot let you out yet," L said into the microphone. Light cursed, but quieted down enough for Miya to think.

"Thank goodness," she sighed, opening her eyes. Matsuda and Aizawa were in the back, going over the same information for the thousandth time, just in case they had missed anything the first nine hundred and ninety nine times.

"You should have some cake Miya," L suggested, turning toward her. "Especially if you have a headache. It really helps to think." Miya nodded.

"I'll try anything now," she groaned, rubbing her head. She made to hop of his chair, but lost her balance halfway up and fell backwards…right into L's lap. Matsuda and Aizawa heard her shriek as she fell and turned to see her lying across his legs, which he was thankfully able to put down before she fell onto his knees. L just sat there with a very surprised look on his face, shifting his gaze downward to see Miya, who opened her eyes and smiled innocently.

"Sorry," she groaned, pulling herself upright. "I guess I just got up too fast." L stared at her blankly, and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"I really didn't mean to fall on you," Miya continued to apologize, thinking he was mad. Matsuda chuckled and spoke up.

"I think he's just waiting for you to get up," he laughed.

"Huh?" Miya said, confused. It was then that she realized she was still sitting on his lap.  
"Oh my God!" She hopped up quickly and held her hands out in front of her. "I'm so sorry! I was just sitting there like an idiot!"

"Yes well…I think we were going to get cake?" L said awkwardly, switching the subject. Matsuda and Aizawa were still chuckling slightly as Miya walked quickly over to the table that held the stash of sweets. She glared at them playfully as she passed, attempting to recover from her momentary lapse of coordination.

* * *

"This case is literally going nowhere…" Matsuda said with a yawn. It was now Light's forty-first day of confinement, and the task force was obviously tired.

"I agree," Aizawa said. "Light isn't talking except when he's begging to let him out, and Misa's convinced that she's been kidnapped by a stalker. Not to mention poor chief. He's beating himself up in there."

"But something fishy's going on with them," Miya shrugged. "I don't trust Light and I say we keep him in there until things make sense."

"The killings have started again," Matsuda said, now stretching. "It's not right to let Light think he's guilty when he's obviously not."

"It's too late to argue about this," Aizawa said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yes, please head home for the night," L added, staring at the TV screen as he usually was. Misa was definitely asleep, and though Miya couldn't tell from where she was standing, she was fairly certain that Light and Mr. Yagami had dozed off as well, yet L continued to watch the screen for reasons unknown to Miya.

"Okay, see you tomorrow!" Matsuda said with no hesitation, heading for the door. Aizawa was right behind him, and soon L and Miya were alone.

"Aren't you going home Miya?" L asked without turning around. Miya shrugged as if he could see her and plopped down in the chair beside him.

"Yeah, I just wanted some cake first," she said, reaching out to the coffee table in front of them and serving herself a slice. One bad thing about working on the task force was the unavoidable amount of sweets you ate. Miya was forming an addiction that could only get worse from here.

"That does sound good," Ryuzaki agreed. Miya handed him her plate and then cut herself a new one. When she looked back up, L was on his last bite.

"Boy, you just wolf those things down, don't you? Or…panda those down I guess." Miya cracked up at her own joke as L took his last bite and placed the plate back down on the table.

"Are you going to eat your slice?" he asked as Miya took a deep breath to calm her laughter. She glared at him and guarded her plate.

"Yes I am, now back off!" L shook his head, slightly amused, before fixing his gaze back on the screen. Miya watched him curiously as she chewed her first bite. They had been spending a lot of time together lately as the confinement period wore on, and Miya finally felt like she knew him a little better. In fact, she was feeling a little more than that…and it was scaring her.

"Um…here you can have this," she said, passing him the half of the cake she had left. He took it appreciatively and finished it, nodding as he put the last bite into his mouth.

"You really do make good cakes Miya…" he mumbled through his mouthful. Miya blushed slightly before replying.

"Oh thanks, it's no big deal." She had gotten into the habit of bringing cake in nearly every day, partly because the team needed the sugar rush and partly…because L seemed to like it.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' she thought as she looked at L. He was hunched over in his chair, as usual, his knees to his chest with his arms resting on them. His hair was a complete mess, and his eyes were looking darker every day. The oddest part was that Miya was finding this rather attractive as of late. She wasn't sure when this all happened, so she took a moment to backtrack.

She supposed it must have started at the dinner party. She really hadn't expected him to look that good in a tux, let alone look that good at all. And then she'd been able to talk a little more with him, and though he was still a mystery to her, she felt like she was breaking through his shell. On top of everything else he was smart, and they were able to carry on intellectual conversations with ease. Mix it all together and it was a recipe for a crush Miya was not expecting and did not understand.

"Why don't you get some sleep L?" Miya asked. "Even the people we've got locked up are getting some rest." L sighed and turned to Miya.

"It's pointless really. The moment I lie down, my brain will start racing with thoughts that would keep me up anyway." He placed his thumb to his lip before continuing. "It's easier to just skip the pointless effort." Miya sighed. She was on a constant mission to get him away from his work and it always proved futile. There just had to be a part of him that was programmed to think work, work, work and that was it.

Miya stood up and grabbed the plates, carrying them over to the stack that no one had bothered washing yet. She then returned to the sitting area and plopped herself on the edge of L's chair. She hadn't done that since she'd fallen in his lap, but now she wasn't so sure that a repeat of the incident would be a bad thing.

"Is your balance in check?" L asked, turning toward her. He was obviously making fun of her for exactly what she'd been remembering, and instead of joking back she decided to test his emotions.

"Does my sitting here bother you?" she asked.

"No, not really," L replied with no emotion, turning back to the screen. Miya sighed with his answer. She'd been trying all day, since she came to the conclusion that Ryuzaki was slightly adorable, to find out his thoughts on her. She was sure he liked her, she just wasn't sure how much.

"Alright, well I guess I should head home," Miya announced, standing up. "It is getting late after all."

"Yes it is," L agreed, standing up like he often did when Miya left. He always walked her to the door, and Miya wasn't sure whether or not it was just because he was being polite or because he liked her. It was all so frustrating, and Miya just wished she could go back to yesterday when she was happily oblivious to her own feelings! "You know if you need to leave earlier in the evenings to be with Noah, I'd understand," L added as they reached the door.

"Well…I kinda like talking to you…" Miya said slowly, testing the waters. L just stared at her with his unblinking eyes, and Miya instantly blushed with embarrassment. "Okay well," she said loudly. "I will see you tomorrow!" She reached for the door and opened it quickly, but L was looking confused.

"What?" she asked, now confused herself.

"It's dark outside," he stated obviously. Miya furrowed her eyebrows and nodded slowly.

"Yeah it…tends to get like that at night…"

"Well you shouldn't be walking home alone in the dark like this," he said, placing his thumb to his lip in thought.

"I've done it before," Miya said with a shrug. "Yesterday, in fact. I have pepper spray. It's all good." What was with the sudden concern?

"I'll walk you," he insisted. Miya looked around quickly as if searching for something. "What are you looking for?" Ryuzaki continued.

"I was just trying to figure out where L went," she said. "He would say goodnight and then go back to the screen."

"Well, if that's what you want," he said, turning back around. Miya cursed at herself with a strong vocabulary before trying to get him to come back.

"No, okay you're right. It's dark," she said quickly. "Let's go." L paused in front of his chair and leaned over the microphone.

"Watari," he said quickly.

"Yes?" Watari replied. Man did these people ever sleep?

"I'm going to walk Miss Yamagata home. Keep an eye on them for me will you?"

"Will do," Watari replied before the room went silent. Miya was extremely pleased with this re-write in her night plans, and had to resist smiling like a doofus as L headed back over and motioned for her to go ahead.

"Ladies first," he said in a low voice as Miya headed out the door. L was right behind her, and she slowed her pace so they were walking side by side. It was silent for a while, L walking beside her with his hands stuffed in his pockets, and Miya was trying to figure out what to say. This was absolutely ridiculous! Yesterday she would have been able to blab on about anything, and today she was all self-conscious about what he would think of her.

"You okay Miss Yamagata? You're strangely quiet," L asked curiously once they were on the sidewalk. Miya really didn't live that far away, so she consciously slowed her pace so the walk would be longer as she answered him.

"I told you to call me Miya, remember?" she reminded.

"Ah yes, I'm sorry. It just happens sometimes," he shrugged.

"Yeah, sometimes I want to call you Ryuga," Miya admitted. "I guess I'll always have that image of you in my mind. Uh…not that I think about you enough to have an image or anything. I just mean that I was so used to calling you Ryuga and now you want me to call you Ryuzaki and sometimes I call you L…" Miya trailed off, realizing her nervous ramble was pointless. This was L! Ryuzaki! It was Ryuga for Pete's sake! The same guy who'd never been on a date! What was she worrying about?

"You are quite amusing Miya," L said, turning his head to look at her. "But tell me, honestly, how's it going? Working on the case, I mean. Are you happy being on the task force?"

"Well, I'm sad we haven't gotten Kira yet but I'm glad you see something in me," Miya replied. "I always wanted to be a detective but I never thought it would really happen, you know? Being a teenage mom and all I kinda figured it was out of the picture."

"Yes, I suppose that would be difficult, though I couldn't say from personal experience," L commented obviously. "How…?" he trailed off, however, and instead chose to say nothing.

"What?" Miya asked.

"It's none of my business," Ryuzaki replied flatly. Miya took a deep breath, knowing exactly what he was going to ask about.

"He left," she explained. "Noah's father. The minute I told him I was pregnant he took off. I don't even think he stopped for a second to think about what effect it would have on me and my life. He just got out of there as fast as he could to save himself." L didn't respond, so Miya decided to keep talking. "I really did love him though. But I was young and stupid, I guess."

"But you don't regret it," L picked up from her tone.

"No," Miya said confidently. "Maybe I regret the fact that I wasn't able to see through him, but I will never regret having Noah. He's everything to me now."

"You're very wise for nineteen," L informed her. "I'm impressed." Miya shrugged.

"I guess most people wouldn't expect it from me. But you're complimenting me and look at you! You're only a college student and already you're the best detective in the world."

"You honestly still believe me to be a college student?" L asked blankly.

"Huh?" Miya said. "What do you mean? You were in my class."

"Yes, but that was just a cover," L explained. "Really, I thought you were aware of that by now. I haven't attended class with you in over two months."

"Guess my deductive skills aren't as sharp as you give me credit for," Miya shrugged. "How old are you then?"

"Twenty-five," L answered casually. Miya, on the other hand, about choked on the air. It was quite an adjustment to go from imagining yourself with an eighteen year old to a twenty-five year old. Not that it was such a huge difference or anything, it just caught her off guard.

"Wow, okay I was way off," she mumbled. "Only a six year gap there."

"Are you suggesting that my acting was well done?" L asked curiously.

"Well, I thought you were a college student so yeah, guess so. But I'm not surprised. Is there anything you can't do? Seriously you're like a genius, you can play tennis, and you danced pretty well there recently."

"You give me a lot of credit," L shrugged.

"But you said that day at the zoo that you don't have many friends. Why is that?" Miya didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she figured that since she didn't have many friends either it wouldn't be offensive.

"I just…never have," Ryuzaki replied. "Only on the Kira investigation did I reveal my face to anyone, and as you know, my name is still a mystery. Not exactly the best circumstances to befriend someone."

"Yeah, that's really not fair," Miya said. "The whole, you being a giant mystery thing. But it's okay. I'll figure you out eventually."

"Let's focus on the Kira investigation first," L commented, looking up at the house they'd stopped in front of. "Hmm, well it appears we're here." Miya hadn't even noticed where they were until they were standing in her driveway, and she was a little disappointed that their walk was over so shortly.

"Well thanks for walking me home," she said, turning to face him. "Though I guess it was pointless. No one was out here to attack me."

"But I do enjoy talking to you," L said as his eyes met hers. "So don't worry about it." Miya blushed slightly, though she wasn't sure why. He just said he liked talking to her; not exactly a love confession.

"Alright, well night," she said with a slight smile.

"Goodnight," he replied, turning and heading down the street once Miya had reached her door.

"Oh, call me when you get back so I know you made it home safe!" she called after him. She knew he heard her and so she stepped inside and headed upstairs. After checking Noah, who was sleeping peacefully, and putting on her pajamas, Miya crawled into her bed full of thoughts about a certain black-haired man.

She was nearly asleep when her phone rang.

"Hello?" she mumbled into the phone without checking to see who was calling. She practically bolted upright, however, when she realized who it was.

"Miya?" L said on the other end. "I'm back safe and so I'm calling you."

"Oh, yeah," Miya said, slapping her hand to her forehead. "Okay good."

"Did I wake you?" L asked. "I'm sorry."

"I asked you to call," Miya said. "You were just following orders."

"I suppose I was," L replied. "Well, have pleasant dreams Miya." The phone clicked, and Miya tossed it to the side.

"Oh, I plan to…" she giggled to herself as she rolled over to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Miya arrived at headquarters with the full intention of making her feelings known. She'd had about four different dreams the night before, all about Ryuzaki, and decided it was best to find out exactly where this friendship might be heading before her pining for him reached pathetic levels.

"You alright Miya?" Matsuda asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You seem distracted."

"No…" Miya sighed, glancing to L, who was balancing a strawberry on his fork.

"Okay well…just checking," Matsuda said with furrowed eyebrows before turning back to his work. Miya wasn't sure when she should tell him, but she knew for sure they had to be alone. Her crush on L was one thing she did not want Matsuda and Aizawa to be aware of.

* * *

"Night," Matsuda called at the end of another fruitless day. He was the last task force member out, and Miya found herself growing anxious. She still hadn't worked up the nerve to talk to L about anything besides Kira and it was about time to go.

"Well…goodbye," Miya sighed, defeated. There was no talking over feelings tonight. She just wasn't feeling brave enough. She stood up slowly and headed over to the door, Ryuzaki behind her.

"L," Miya said once they reached the door. She couldn't leave without saying something. It would eat at her all night!

"Yes?" he asked. Though he'd asked her to call him Ryuzaki, he'd grown accustomed to her calling him L when they were alone. He supposed as long as she didn't say it in public, they'd be okay.

"Um…I…I'll see you tomorrow," Miya said quickly, chickening out.

"Okay see you then," he replied casually.

"Wait L," she said again.

"Yes?"

"Um…I was wondering…never mind, it can wait."

"What is it Miya?" he asked seriously. Miya shook her head.

"Nothing," she said firmly. "I'll see you tomorrow." She reached for the doorknob at the same time he did, and once again they found their hands brushing against each other. "Sorry," she apologized, pulling her hand back as he did. She looked up and met his gaze, and suddenly felt a rush of confidence as his dark eyes bore into hers.

"L?" she said again.

"Yes?" he asked for a third time. Miya hesitated for the slightest second before placing her hand on the side of his neck and leaning forward to press her lips to his. She just couldn't seem to express her feelings in words, so she decided to show him. It didn't take her long, however, to realize his lips were completely still against hers. She pulled back slightly to see that his eyes were wide open, and so she backed up completely.

"I'm…sorry…" Miya apologized, feeling the pain of rejection stab her in the gut. L still looked shocked, and he raised his thumb to his lip in thought.

"Hmm," he mused. "It appears I have a girlfriend…"

"I wouldn't go that far," Miya said, opening the door. Lately she'd been stalling when it came time to leave, but today she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"But…doesn't a kiss…?" L began uncertainly.

"It's not like you kissed me back," she shrugged, stepping out the door. "See you tomorrow." L just stood there, staring after her at a loss for words. Had he messed something up without even being aware of it? As he ran his finger along his lips, he sure hoped he hadn't.

Miya, on the other hand, was fighting the tears that were pushing against her eyes. She wasn't expecting a scene out of a movie, but a response would have been nice. At least now she knew how he felt, right?


	10. Reassurance

A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! So, I thought about it and I think I'm going to update every few days maybe, depending on what's happening in the story. See, we've typed most of the story already. We have maybe like 4 more chapters to type. I'm working on chapter 29 today, that's why I update so frequently. Because we finished most of it. And let me just say, as a warning, that when we post the events that happen in episode 25 (you know what I'm talking about...) you will be very sad. We cried when we typed it. Yeah...

Ok, enough about that. Regarding Noah's daddy, he won't actually be in the story. I wanted him in there so L could kick his ass but the other half of this partnership was all like "No." So that's how that went down.

Anyway, ready to read about L's reaction? Enjoy and please review!

* * *

**Chapter 10: Reassurance **

L had been up all night, which wasn't unusual, thinking about Miya's kiss. He was fairly certain that she had assumed that he was no longer interested, and he was trying to figure out how to fix the situation. He honestly was interested, now that he had considered the possibility that had never occurred to him before. After all, it wasn't every day that a beautiful woman kissed him like that. But he wasn't sure what he had done to turn her away. Apparently he hadn't kissed her back, but what was she expecting? He had no experience in that department, and she had caught him completely off guard! Damn, and worst of all this was a complete distraction from the Kira investigation! That should be at the top of his priorities and now he found it was fighting for first place with thoughts of Miya.

"Watari…" he sighed into the microphone the minute the sun appeared over the buildings outside.

"Yes?" Watari said back. "No changes if that's what you're wondering."

"No," L said. "Actually this is a personal issue." He figured if anyone would have advice, it would be Watari.

"Involving Miss Yamagata," Watari assumed.

"What makes you conclude that?" L asked.

"Well, you see, you've attended a number of events with the girl. You're a young man, she's a young lady. You're the detective, put it together." The old man was sounding like he had known this was coming all along, and L sure wished he'd given him a little warning.

"But what should I do?" L wondered, placing his thumb to his lip. "It appears I accidentally rejected her…" L could hear Watari chuckling from across the microphone. "I do not see what's amusing."

"Just talk to her," Watari advised. "If you care for her then it won't be a problem. She's a nice girl Ryuzaki."

"Yes you mentioned that before," L mumbled, lost in thought. Talk to her…he could do that right?

* * *

"You off to work, honey?" Miya's mother asked as Miya headed for the door. Noah was following her, Panda in hand, though he wasn't off to day care. Miya's mother had the day off and had offered to watch him.

"Unfortunately yes," she sighed. Her mother narrowed her eyes curiously.

"Something the matter?" she asked. "You look a little upset."

"Mommy sad 'cause of Mr. Panda," Noah answered for his mother, who's eyes got very wide.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked quickly. Noah sighed.

"I heard you cwying last night," he replied sadly. "Mommy you shouldn't be sad. Mr. Panda likes you a lot! I can tell!"

"Sure he does," Miya nodded, kneeling down and holding her arms out to the boy. "I'll see you when I get home." Noah ran up and hugged her.

"Bye mommy," he said, squeezing her tight. He then proceeded to scamper off into the other room. Miya turned and opened the door.

"Miya?" her mother said as she headed out.

"Yes mom?"

"Sweetheart, it's just a stuffed animal," her mother shrugged. "There's really no reason to be upset." Miya wasn't sure if her mom was joking or if she really thought they were talking about the bear, but either way she decided to stick with the joking.

"That thing's always staring at me," Miya laughed on the way out. "He will get the cold shoulder and like it!" Though as she left, that sentence actually made some sense.

* * *

"Oh, hey Miya!" Matsuda said with a friendly wave when she stepped into the hotel room.

"Hi Matsuda," she said in a friendly voice. "Hey Aizawa."

"Hey," he replied. L had been sitting in his chair secretly pumping himself up for her arrival, but now that she was here he couldn't bring himself to look over.

"Anything new?" Miya asked without looking his direction. Finally L had worked up some courage, and he turned around to look at her.

"Good morning Miya," he said simply. She ignored him and continued to look at Aizawa and Matsuda expectantly.

"Uh, no everything's the same," Matsuda answered quickly, exchanging glances with Aizawa. They had no idea what was going on, but it seemed messy so they both backed off and pretended to be extremely interested in their research.

"Um…good morning…" L said again. Miya pointedly ignored him as she headed toward the TV. He scooted to the side slightly in the hopes that she'd sit on the arm of his chair, but she passed it by without a second look and sat on the couch, fixing her gaze on the TV. L brought his thumb to his lip in thought.

"Miya…" he mumbled finally, just fishing for a response.

"Let's not make this awkward, okay?" Miya said flatly without looking at him.

"What do you think's going on over there?" Matsuda whispered to Aizawa, who shrugged.

"I don't know but I feel like we shouldn't be listening…"

"Yeah probably not," Matsuda agreed. They exchanged glances before dropping their papers and leaning in closer to better hear. Ryuzaki was still staring at her, so finally Miya gave in and turned to look at him.

"Yes?" she asked, crossing her arms. Ignoring people had never been her strong suit.

"Um…I wanted to talk to you about…well you know."

"About what?" Miya asked blankly. L turned to see Aizawa and Matsuda quickly get back to work, and decided this could wait until there was no audience.

"Later then," he decided. "I need to talk to you." Miya rolled her eyes and sighed, looking back to the screen. She really didn't want to have the awkward 'I like you but I don't like you' conversation, but for some reason L seemed heart set on it. What a fun day.

* * *

"Bye," Matsuda and Aizawa said in an almost unison as they headed out of the door at a decent time later that day. Miya was right behind them, until something pulled her back into the room by the hand.

"Miya, I thought we agreed to talk," L said, releasing her hand and shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Actually, you decided for us that we were going to talk, but I really don't want to so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Miya, I really don't understand," L said, obviously confused. "I thought your kiss last night was an indication that you had feelings for me."

"Yeah, you know, it was," Miya shrugged. "But I mean, you didn't kiss me back and it's okay, I understand. I can deal with that but this talking, trying to apologize thing you're doing is really starting to get to me so just drop it, okay?"

"I wasn't trying to…"

"It's okay," Miya said instantly, cutting him off. "A lot of guys would be turned off by the fact that I have a kid. It's no big deal. I just wasn't expecting that from you, but it's fine." She made for the door, but L threw his arm out in front of her, closing it.

"I never said any of that," he pointed out. "That was your own assumption."

"I assume correctly, remember?" she said smartly, staring at his arm as if it would vanish and let her out if she glared at it long enough.

"Not this time," L said in a low voice. "I've grown to like Noah quite a lot and the fact that you have a child means nothing."

"Oh great, so it's just me then," Miya said. "Glad we could have this talk."

"Miya, will you please just listen for a second?" L sounded on the verge of begging, so Miya sighed and looked up at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I did not reject you," he explained. "You simply caught me off guard there. Did you forget that I have no experience in this area at all?"

"Wait, was that your first kiss?" Miya asked quickly. L ignored her and kept talking.

"So, needless to say this is difficult for me. You're just going to have to bear with me here. I'm not exactly sure how to act around you…"

"Act around me?" Miya said blankly. "Just be L."

"Yes, well it appears that is difficult with you around so we're just going to have to take it slow. I mean if you want to. If you were planning on taking it anywhere I mean…" L trailed off, releasing his hand from the door so he could rub the back of his neck. Miya narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you saying you like me?" she asked slowly. L turned his head to the side and shifted his gaze to the floor.

"I'd say there's a ninety-seven percent chance I could fall for you…" he mumbled almost incomprehensibly.

"Facts and figures never sounded so good," Miya laughed. Now that they'd had this conversation, she was pretty annoyed with herself for leaving so quickly the previous night.

"Does…this mean that you do in fact have feelings for me?" L asked uncertainly, meeting her gaze again. Miya tilted her head at him.

"I'd say I've given you enough clues, Mr. Detective."

"And are you upset with me?" L asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "About yesterday?"

"No, I shouldn't have rushed off," Miya said. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry I overreacted. I do this thing where I automatically jump to the worst possible conclusion. I'm working on it."

"Well just so you know," L continued. "I'm willing to give the kiss thing a try again." Miya raised an eyebrow at him as he stared at her expectantly.

"Whenever you're ready," he added. Miya laughed and turned toward the door.

"Goodnight Ryuzaki." L looked confused.

"You're going to surprise me with it again, aren't you?" he asked.

"We'll see. You're assuming that I'm going to kiss you again," Miya smiled, "And we just saw a second ago that assumptions are bad." L lifted his hand and scratched his head in confusion as Miya waved.

"Bye!" she said cheerfully before closing the door.

"Goodbye…" L mumbled before turning back toward his chair. She certainly was a mystery.

* * *

Miya arrived the next day at headquarters in a surprisingly cheerful mood. Surprising at least to the detectives who had witnessed her attitude yesterday. Matsuda and Aizawa sat around scratching their heads as she skipped over to the arm of L's chair as if nothing had happened.

"Um…I guess she's not mad at him anymore?" Matsuda wondered aloud. "But when did that happen? She followed us out last night right?"

"I thought she did," Aizawa shrugged.

"Well they must have talked sometime," Matsuda concluded.

"We are supposed to be working on the biggest criminal investigation of our time and all we can do is sit around and gossip about Ryuzaki and Miya?" Aizawa pointed out.

"Hey, we have to entertain ourselves somehow," Matsuda shrugged before sighing and getting back to work. L was looking at the familiar and unchanging images of the prisoners on the screen, but he looked up when Miya sat down.

"Any changes?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him.

"No," L replied, "But I feel like things will change soon. This has gone on too long." Miya nodded in agreement and sighed.

"So another long day?" she wondered.

"I'm afraid so," L nodded. Miya placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a slight smile as the complicated task of staring at television screens and going over old information began.

* * *

"I need to go home," Miya said once the other detectives had gone. "I really do need to get back to Noah." It had just gotten dark outside, though it wasn't horribly late yet. She and L had just been sitting around, talking about the case mostly, and though Miya didn't really want to go, she knew she had to.

"Well I'll walk you again," L offered, standing up. "It seems appropriate now more than ever, correct?" Miya laughed.

"You really don't have to rack your brains trying to figure this thing out," she said, motioning back and forth between herself and L. "Nothing's changed. We're just a little more…aware of feelings, I guess." She patted his chest as she passed him and grabbed her jacket at the door.

"I'm going to walk you home," L confirmed, heading over to where she stood. "Because I want to." Miya was extremely pleased by this comment, but she wasn't going to admit it. She still wanted to make L pay for making her think she was rejected, even if it wasn't his fault.

"Okay, if you insist!" Miya said sliding her jacket over her shoulders as L opened the door. She eyed L curiously. "Um, don't you want a jacket? It's kind of cold."

"No," L replied. Miya blinked in confusion.

"…okay then," she said, stepping out the door. "But if you get cold don't expect me to warm you up."

"Huh?" L said, following her and closing the door. Miya chuckled slightly and turned to face him, waiting until he was by her side. They reached the street on the outside when L cursed.

"Damn!" he half yelled. "I forgot to tell Watari I was stepping out." He made to turn around, but Miya grabbed his wrist.

"L, please you'll be back faster than the time it would take you to go in there and talk to Watari."

"I think you're wrong about that," L sighed. He looked back to the front of the hotel for another moment more, but finally turned away from it.

"See, that wasn't so hard," Miya said. Her hand was still around his wrist, and she was about to let him go when another idea came to mind. Instead, she let her hand slide down to his. L glanced down as her fingers slowly laced with his. "This okay?" Miya asked uncertainly.

"I suppose," L said, stuffing his free hand into his pocket. Miya furrowed her eyebrows and loosened her grip.

"Well, we don't have to," she said, pulling her hand free. L reached for it and slid his fingers back into hers.

"'I suppose' meant yes, it's okay," L explained. Miya blushed slightly and began walking, L right beside her. She had to admit the feel of his hand in hers was nice. It had been a long time since she'd held a man's hand, let alone a man she thought cared about her. And even though she and L weren't anything official just yet, she really did feel like he cared about her, and she knew that for some odd reason she cared about him.

"What are you thinking about?" L asked curiously when they were about halfway to her house. Miya had been pretty quiet, all caught up in her relationship thoughts, and so conversation hadn't really been going on. But as he spoke Miya turned to look at him with narrowed eyes.

"Well, what are you thinking about?"

"I asked you first," L argued, catching on to the fact that she didn't want to tell him. "So you tell me and then I'll tell you what I was thinking about." Miya sighed. She really didn't want to share her embarrassing and mushy thoughts, but knowing what L was thinking about was something she couldn't deny.

"Fine, I was thinking that I like holding your hand, okay?" Miya admitted reluctantly. "Now what are you thinking about?" L looked satisfied with her answer and so proceeded to tell her.

"Kira," he said simply.

"Well damn I could have guessed that!" Miya said, frustrated that she'd shared her hand holding secrets for no reason. She was also slightly disappointed that he wasn't thinking about her as well, but this was L after all. "Well, what about Kira?"

"I'm just growing frustrated I suppose," L admitted. "This confinement appears to be going nowhere and I find that I'm searching for the evidence to put Light away."

"You really do think he's Kira don't you?" Miya wondered.

"I'm certain," L said. "I just know. He's got to be."

"Well I think he's suspicious, that's for sure," Miya agreed with a nod. "The evidence points the other way now that the killings are going on again, that's the thing. It's confusing."

"I'm thinking it through," L continued. "I'm not able to rule out Light as a suspect."

"Well if you think he's Kira, then he's got to at least have something to do with it," Miya reasoned. "You're never wrong, and I doubt you are now."

"Thanks," L said. "I kind of need that now that people are starting to doubt my theory." Miya squeezed his hand as they stopped in her driveway.

"We're here," she stated obviously. L looked up and nodded.

"It appears we are." He stood there looking down at Miya, and she could see it in his eyes; he was preparing himself for a kiss. He just thought it was coming, and to be honest Miya had been planning on it. But now that she figured he was expecting it, she changed her mind.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," she said, turning to face him. She let her hand slid out of his and up his arm. He leaned back slightly as she leaned toward him and brought her other hand up to the side of his face.

"L," she whispered just an inch away from his lips. He just knew the kiss was coming. She was so close he could feel her breath on his lips.

"Yes…?" L said weakly, clearing his throat some as he spoke.

"Goodnight!" Miya giggled, turning her face to the side and pecking him on the cheek. She then released him from her grasp and skipped to the door. L raised his hand to touch his cheek and shook his head. He was certain that the kiss had been coming. But with Miya, he was beginning to think that he was completely clueless.


	11. Natural

A/N: Sorry for this mini-delay. I meant to post sooner than this. But I've got it up now so it's all good! Things are heating up, not only with the Kira investigation but also with L and Miya's relationship! Yay! Oh, and before I forget, I have a poll up on the profile page about a potential side story. I'm already gonna start outlining but I want to know your guys' opinions.

Anyway, enjoy and please review! And don't forget to take the poll!

* * *

**Chapter 11: Natural**

Miya grimaced as she stared at the television screen. Misa, Light, and Mr. Yagami looked worse every day and now Miya wasn't really sure how much more of this they could take.

"Ryuzaki," Miya started. She was sitting next to him in her favorite spot. "It's been fifty days. This is getting ridiculous."

He didn't respond to her. Instead, he turned on the microphone and began speaking into it. "Mr. Yagami, are you alright? There's no reason for you to keep doing this to yourself."

Mr. Yagami probably looked the worse out of the group, not that Miya blamed him. He sat in the chair that was in his room. He hung his head down and didn't look at the camera.

"It's been over a month since Kira started killing criminals again. And as far as I'm concerned, that's all the proof I'll need to be sure that my son isn't Kira. So then, all that's left is for you to be sure. One way or another, when I get out of here, it will be with my son."

"Wow, the chief can be pretty stubborn," Matsuda interjected.

"I think the chief's being very courageous," Miya added. "It's good to see he loves his son enough to be going through this. He's a good father."

L gave Miya a side glance, wondering if she was thinking about Noah's father when she said this. He pushed the button to talk through the microphone again. "Light, how are you feeling right now?"

Light was lying on the ground, staring at the floor. When L addressed him, however, he looked up into the camera. He groaned before answering. "I'm okay. Ryuzaki, I know that in the time I've been in prison, no new criminals have died, however, that suggests to me that Kira must be someone who's intimately familiar with my situation. And if that's-"

L immediately cut him off. "No Light. The reason criminals have stopped dying is because _you_ are Kira."

Light looked shocked. He started yelling into the camera again. "No! I'm not Kira! How many times do I have to say it?"

Aizawa was looking very disgruntled during this conversation. "This is just cruel. I don't care if he is a suspect. Light still has a right to know that criminals are still being killed." Miya agreed with him but didn't say anything to L. He was the boss. It was really his call, not anyone else's.

Ryuzaki ignored him, however. "Amane," he said into the microphone.

Misa was slumped over in her chair, looking completely defeated. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You seem tired."

Misa's shaky voice responded, "Is that supposed to be funny? How are you expecting me to look after I've been tied up and questioned for this many days?"

"Hm. That's true."

"Please, just let me go," Misa pleaded. "I want to see Light. Please. Light…let me…" she trailed off quietly.

"I'm not sure how much more of this the three of them can take," Matsuda said.

"Me either," Miya agreed.

"Ryuzaki," Aizawa started. "You have no reason to keep Light locked up anymore! Do the right thing and let him go, then we can get the chief out too. Criminals are still being killed even though Misa and Light haven't had access to any of that information. We know that much already, so what are you waiting for?"

L sucked the remainder of the ice cream he had on his finger. It seemed that after eating all these sweets, he still couldn't figure out everything. "Not true. All we really know at this point is that Amane harbors an unnaturally strong devotion for Light Yagami."

"You could say that again…" Miya mumbled. It was sweet that Misa loved Light and everything, but she was just a little annoying with that love of hers.

"Ryuzaki, I'm sorry, but with all due respect, from where I'm standing, it's starting to look like you're only doing this because you don't want to admit you were wrong about Light."

'Ouch…' Miya thought.

"Yes, I figured you'd say that."

Aizawa wasn't satisfied with this response. He was getting angrier by the second. "Okay fine! But we do know that Kira killed Lind L. Tailor and those FBI agents, right? As Light said, if Kira could kill while under surveillance and without access to information, there would have been no need. If they didn't pose a threat to him, then why would he bother killing them? Kira doesn't kill without good reason, I've heard you say so yourself on more than one occasion."

"Oh I see," Matsuda chimed in. "If he was able to kill under these circumstances, then he wouldn't have been concerned about the FBI agents in the first place."

"It's already been fifty days. There's no point to this anymore. Ryuzaki, it's time to start looking for the real Kira."

Ryuzaki went to put his finger in his ice cream cup again to get more traces of the desert. He hesitated though. "I understand." He then clicked on the microphone to talk to the chief. "Mr. Yagami."

"Yes, what is it?" He glanced at the camera from the corner of his eye, but didn't look at it directly.

"Would you be willing to come to headquarters? I'd like to discuss my thoughts with you but it must be done in person. However, above all else I need to talk to you as Light's father."

Mr. Yagami sighed. "Alright. I'll come."

* * *

"So what did you two talk about?" Miya asked Ryuzaki when he came back to the hotel room. She was lounging on the sofa, completely comfortable and didn't feel like moving. When Ryuzaki attempted to sit on the same sofa she was on, she had to move her legs or he would have sat on them. Miya wasn't even sure Ryuzaki knew he was going to sit on them. He looked extremely distracted.

"I can't tell you," Ryuzaki replied. He placed his thumb to his lip. "You'll find out soon enough anyway."

"For what it's worth," Miya started. She sat all the way up now and looked at him. "I think you're doing the right thing, even if I do feel bad for them. Aizawa and Matsuda know Mr. Yagami well, so seeing him like this is hard for them. I'm sure Aizawa didn't mean it when he said you just didn't want to be wrong with your assumptions."

"Unfortunately, Miya," Ryuzaki started, "I'm starting to doubt myself as well. I've never been in a situation like this before and I'm not exactly sure what to do."

Miya was surprised. Did he really just admit that to her? She shook her head. "Don't think like that. You're the world's greatest detective. You'll figure it out. You always do."

Ryuzaki finally faced her. "Thank you Miya. You always seem to know what to say."

Miya smiled at him and Ryuzaki found himself half-smiling. There was silence for a few moments as the two continued to look at each other. Miya was contemplating if she should try the kiss again. This seemed like the best moment so she leaned forward into him. He started to lean back, surprised by her actions, when she placed her hand on the side of his neck to stop him. Her lips hovered above his for a couple seconds as she whispered, "Do you know what's coming next?"

Ryuzaki didn't respond as she completely filled the gap in between them. He was unresponsive at first and Miya was afraid she was going to have a repeat of that one night when she kissed him for the first time. Before she could pull away, she felt L's hand land on her waist and he began to kiss her back.

It wasn't long before they pulled away. L gave Miya an unblinking stare and Miya could have sworn she saw an extremely small tint of red on his cheeks, but she chose not to comment on it. Instead, she asked, "Now that wasn't so bad, was it? You're a natural."

Ryuzaki cleared his throat before speaking. "Actually Miya, I find myself enjoying kissing."

Miya laughed. "You are so cute, L." She leaned into him again and this time, Ryuzaki didn't hesitate. Their second kiss lasted longer than their first one and eventually the couple pulled away for some air. "What's the percentage of you falling for me now?"

Ryuzaki kept a straight face. "I'd say about 99.9% now."

Miya pouted. "Still not a hundred percent? I need to work on my seduction skills…"

"Your…seduction skills are fine…" L mumbled almost inaudibly, but Miya still heard him. "Miya, I can't afford to get distracted on this case. This is definitely the most difficult one I've ever tried to solve and I'm not sure I'll be able to with you always around."

Miya's faced looked serious now. "Wait, are you kicking me off the case? I promise I won't be a distraction!"

"I'm not kicking you off Miya," L said simply. "You're the best person I have on this case. Maybe if you could try being less distracting…"

Miya raised an eyebrow. "What do you expect me to do exactly?"

"I'm not sure how to put this in words…"

"Maybe you shouldn't. You've already insulted me." She turned away from him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

L stared blankly at her, wondering why she was mad at him. Did he do something wrong again? "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well you kinda did."

It was L's turn to pout. "Does that mean more kissing is out of the question?"

Miya glared at the detective. "Do you want me or not, because now you're just confusing me. You don't want me around and yet you want to kiss. Can you make up your mind already?"

"Forgive me," L started. "What I meant to say was that I enjoy having you around and I would like to become intimate with you, however, no one can know about it. I'm afraid if Kira somehow got a hold of this information, you could be used against me. I wouldn't want to put you through that."

Miya nodded. "I understand. I didn't even think about that."She stared into his gray eyes. "So we're kinda like dating in secret then? That's so romantic."

"I'm glad you understand," Ryuzaki said. "I never knew I could have the ability to be romantic…" he said aloud, mostly to himself though.

* * *

Matsuda, Aizawa, and Ryuzaki were surrounding the television, three days later when Miya walked in. "What's going on?" she asked them.

Matsuda turned to her. "Ryuzaki came up with a plan to see if Light is really Kira and Misa Misa is the second Kira."

Miya was surprised. "Really? Is that what you and Mr. Yagami were talking about, Ryuzaki?"

He didn't respond. He was staring intently at the television screen, along with Matsuda and Aizawa. She figured now wasn't the time to talk and focused on the screen herself. Mr. Yagami was driving a car while Light and Misa sat in the back, their hands tied.

"I was starting to think I'd never get out of there, but it feels good to finally be cleared," Light said looking completely relieved.

Mr. Yagami looked solemn. "No. I'm afraid you two are being taken to your execution." Misa and Light looked shocked, and Miya was stunned as well. Was this the only plan L could come up with? "I wanted to be the one to escort you to your execution site. It was secretly built in an underground facility not far from here. L is convinced that you are Kira and that Misa Amane is the second Kira. He is convinced that the only way we can prevent the murders is to execute the two of you."

"I don't understand!" Light yelled. "The killings have already stopped!"

"No, they never stopped."

Light was confused now. "They never…? That's not what he told me. So he was lying?"

"L was trying to get a confession out of you, Light. He wouldn't have said anything, but at this point that's not the problem. It's political now, you see. L's suggestion that the killings would stop if you two were eliminated was unanimously accepted by top officials in the UN and the Japanese government. They want Kira to disappear. No trial. No publicity."

"But that's completely insane! Please dad, I'm not Kira!"

"He's right!" Misa agreed. There were tears forming in her eyes now. "What kind of a father are you anyway? This is your own son you're talking about!"

"L made this decision. Not me. And his word is absolute. Over the years, he's tackled the world's difficult cases, solving all of them. He's never been wrong."

Light's face went from being upset and scared to just angry. "You trust L. More than you trust me, your own son?"

Mr. Yagami kept staring ahead as he drove. "L went so far as to stake his life on this theory. If the killings don't stop, then he too will be executed."

Miya's eyes widened. "You said that?!" she asked him.

"L said that?" Light asked, equally surprised as Miya. "What could he be thinking? I know that given the material evidence, this might seem like the only logical solution but he's making a mistake! How could L come to this conclusion? Something's not right here! It's just not like L at all! The L I know would rely on hard evidence. He has to have the truth! Is he really trying to end it like this?"

Mr. Yagami didn't answer Light's question. Instead he said, "Alright, we're almost there."

Immediately, Mr. Yagami turned the wheel so the car swerved, going in a completely different direction. He drove just under a bridge and looked around to make sure there was no one around.

"Where are we right now?" Light asked. "Why did you bring us out to the middle of nowhere? What is this?"

Misa was starting to look relieved. "Wait a sec. I bet he brought us out here to let us go."

"This will do," Mr. Yagami said. "Looks like there's nobody around to see us out here. I figured it would be better for us if I brought you here instead of the execution site. Listen to me, I'm going to kill you here and then I'm going to kill myself."

'This is getting insane,' Miya thought.

"What?!" Light shouted. "What are you talking about dad? You can't! That's crazy!"

Misa started crying again. "How can you say that? You'd kill your only son for L? You wanna die so bad, why don't you kill yourself? If you do this, you're no different than Kira!"

Mr. Yagami looked angry. "I am nothing like Kira. I am bound by my responsibilities as a parent and as chief of the NPA."

Light was getting hysterical now. "Dad, c'mon! She's right! Think about it! If we die here, the truth will never be revealed! Please dad, you hafta let us escape!"

"It's too late. Either way, you'll be executed. At least with this, I'll be the one to do it." He then pulled a gun out of his jacket and Miya found herself biting her nails in anticipation. Was he really going to kill his own son? Her heart was practically hammering against her chest and she wasn't sure if she would be able to watch anymore.

"Please stop dad! I'm not Kira! If I die here Kira wins! Can't you see?" He now aimed the gun right at Light's forehead.

"Amane, I'm going to die here with my son. But I have no reason to kill you. Do you understand what I'm saying? It's only a matter of time before the police locate this car. Then they'll transport you to the original site and execute you there." He prepared his gun and Miya knew what was coming next. "Light, my son, from one murderer to another. I'll see you in hell."

"No dad!"

Tears were streaming down Misa's face. "No stop it!"

Miya shut her eyes as soon as she heard the gun go off. What the hell was Ryuzaki thinking coming up with a plan like this?! This was horrible! She wasn't sure when she should open her eyes again, but when she heard Light's voice, her eyes snapped open.

"You used a blank?" he asked breathlessly.

Mr. Yagami groaned as he slumped against the seat of the car. "Thank goodness."

Light was probably more confused. "Thank goodness? What's going on? I don't understand."

"Please, forgive me you two. I know that was hard on you but it was the only way I could get you out of prison. You must understand. I only agreed to do this because I believe in your innocence Light. Were you watching Ryuzaki? I did exactly as you said. As you can see, I'm still alive."

So this is what Ryuzaki's plan was all along? Miya couldn't help but think it was cruel…

L clicked on the microphone and began speaking to the passengers in the car.

"Yes, it was a convincing performance. If Amane were the second Kira, who only needs to see a person's face to kill them, there is no doubt she would have killed you before you had the chance to fire your weapon. Also, if Light was in fact Kira, the Kira I know wouldn't hesitate to kill even his own father to save himself. With Light in particular, I cannot rule out the possibility that he may have seen through our act at some point. However as we agreed, I will end their confinement immediately. And as we discussed, Amane will remain under surveillance till Kira is apprehended, although she insists the tapes we found were just occult videos, the physical evidence we have plus her confessions suggest otherwise."

Misa was angry now. "Hey! No fair! You still suspect me?"

Mr. Yagami turned around to look at her. "If I were you, I wouldn't complain. You get to go back to your normal life. If you're innocent, the surveillance shouldn't be a threat to you. Think of it as complimentary police protection."

"Oh, I get it," Misa replied. "Since I'm not the second Kira, it'll be like having my own personal bodyguards."

L began to talk to them again. "As for your part in this agreement Light, you and I will be together 24/7. And that's how we'll remain until we've brought Kira to justice."

"Fine by me. We'll catch Kira together." Light was looking determined now.

"Yes, I look forward to working with you."

* * *

"Although it was effective, it was also very cruel," Miya commented to L. Aizawa and Matsuda had left to meet up with Mr. Yagami, Light and Misa before they met up with Ryuzaki to discuss the surveillance plan. Miya and L were alone now. "Just thought you should know."

"Those were necessary actions, Miya," L responded. He sat across from her on the couch.

"Yeah but, if I were put under those situations, I would've probably had a heart attack," she commented. "And not from Kira either. _I_ almost had a heart attack watching that scene! You could have warned me!"

Ryuzaki shrugged. "I didn't see the importance in informing you at the time." Miya opened her mouth to retaliate but he didn't give her a chance. "I will tell you what I have planned now, since it will involve you." This caught Miya's interest. "I will be handcuffed to Light at all times to keep him in my sight. I will be able to see what he does every second."

Miya raised an eyebrow at him. "…you're going to be handcuffed to Light…_all the time_?"

"Yes," he replied. "This means, we won't be able to be together much until Kira is caught. I'm sorry for that."

Miya groaned. "We just got together, too. You like Light that much, Ryuzaki? Should I be jealous?"

"I'm not doing this for enjoyment."

"Sure…" Miya mumbled. "This is awful. Wait…" Miya furrowed her eyebrows now. "You're going to be handcuffed to Light? What if he really is Kira? Do you have a death wish or something?"

"Not necessarily, but I want to catch Kira once and for all. If this is the only way, so be it."

Miya sighed. There was no talking him out of this one. "I was getting used to your sweet kisses too…did you know I can practically taste the cake from your mouth?"

"I'm not sure how to take that comment."

"It's a good thing. It makes kissing even more enjoyable," she smiled.

"That's good to hear."

"Alright," she said getting up and sitting next to L. "One last kiss before we have to be apart for who knows how long." She leaned into him and placed her lips over his. He accepted them easily and Miya was glad he was getting used to this.

In the next few minutes, L would be handcuffed to Light and Miya wasn't exactly sure when she would have the chance to even kiss L again. Kira needed to be captured even faster now.


	12. Wish

**Chapter 12: Wish**

"Are you sure this is necessary, Ryuzaki?" Light asked unsurely. They were all sitting in a new hotel room, Light and L now handcuffed together. The chain was extremely long however, giving them both a chance to move around.

"This is as difficult for me as it is for you." L replied dully. Miya couldn't help smiling, wondering if he was thinking about her when he said this.

Misa voice interrupted Miya's thoughts. "So, is this what you meant by being together twenty-four hours a day with him? Looking at you I wouldn't have guessed. Are you on that side of the fence Ryuzaki?"

"I told you, I'm not doing this because I want to. Okay?" Miya almost laughed out loud. He was getting all annoyed. It was just too adorable.

"But Light belongs to me! I don't wanna share him with you! If you're with him 24/7 then how are we supposed to go on dates together?"

"Oh, you can still go on dates, but it will have to be the three of us," L replied easily.

Misa placed her hands on her hips. "No way! Are you telling me we have to kiss in front of you and stuff?"

"I'm not telling you to do anything, but yes I suppose I will be watching."

"Ryuzaki!" Miya scolded. He glanced at her for a second but then turned back to the blonde girl. Miya quickly recovered and continued to look uncaring.

"That's so gross! You really are a pervert, aren't you?"

L seemed to be at the end of his rope now, after talking to the young model. "Light, please make Misa stop talking now…"

Light finally took control of this situation. "Listen Misa, that's enough. The police have already established that it was you who sent those tapes. You're lucky to even be here right now. They have every right to keep you in prison."

Misa was upset as she faced him. "How can you even say that, Light? In case you forgot, I'm your girlfriend! Don't you trust your own soul mate?"

"What do you mean soul mate?" he asked, looking perplexed. "You're the one who said you fell in love with me at first sight Misa."

Tears now filled the girl's eyes. She sure was emotional, and Miya rolled her eyes at the display. "So why would you kiss me if you didn't have feelings for me? You'd take advantage of me?" She then began to pound on his chest with her fists, all the while calling him "stupid" repeatedly.

"About this love at first sight," L interjected. "It happened in Aoyama on May 22nd, didn't it?

"So what?" Misa asked, turning her attention towards him.

"Why did you choose that day to go to Aoyama? And do you remember what you wore?"

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the detective. "It's like I told you, I just happened to go there. I don't know why, I don't remember how I felt and I don't even know what I was wearing. Anyway, why do I need a reason to hang out in Aoyama, huh?"

L wasn't letting this go. "And somehow, when you came back from Aoyama, you knew you were in love with some guy and that his name was Light."

" Yes!" Misa replied, getting up into his face. L didn't even flinch, like he did when Miya got close to him. That made her feel better since she had that sort of effect on him. Seeing Misa in clean clothes and her make-up and hair done made Miya feel self-conscious about her appearance. L could easily fall for Misa because of her beauty, but he didn't seem to see her as anything besides a suspect. On the other hand, he apparently got nervous around Miya, which meant he must care what she thinks of him.

"And yet you yourself have no idea how you came to know his name."

"Yeah, so what?" Misa was getting annoyed now.

"Tell me," L started. "What if Light was Kira? How would it make you feel?"

"Huh?" Misa backed off. This question came out of nowhere. "How would I feel if Light was Kira?"

"That's right."

Misa looked pleased now and linked arms with Light. "That'd be wonderful. I mean, I've always been grateful to Kira for punishing the man that murdered my parents, so if I found out that Light was actually Kira, that would be like a bonus for me! If anything, it would make me love him even more, even though it's like practically impossible for me to love him even more than I already do!" Miya stared at her in disbelief. Did she actually just admit that she would love Light even more if he was a murderer?

"Kira, though. You'd love him even more for that? Wouldn't you be afraid? What if he tried to kill you?"

Misa didn't seem the slightest bit worried. In fact, she just looked happier. "You're talking about Light being Kira? He wouldn't be scary at all! I'm a supporter of Kira so if I find out my Light was actually him, I'd think of how I could be helpful!"

Miya furrowed her eyebrows. Didn't Misa realize that saying this pretty much secured her position as the second Kira? She didn't seem very smart. Suddenly Miya wasn't feeling as threatened by the model's beauty.

"That's very generous of you but I'm sure Kira doesn't need your help. Well Misa, based on what you just told me we can make no mistake that you are definitely the second Kira. But you made it so painfully obvious that I don't really wanna believe it."

"Whatever," Misa said, not the least bit interested. "It's not believable because I'm not the second Kira, okay?"

L continued. "Anyway, for the time being, you'll remain under surveillance. When you do go out, if needed, you will be able to contact us using this room's extension. For the most part, your life will return to normal but from now on, for all private and work related affairs, Mr. Matsuda will be accompanying you as your new manager, Matsui. Your agency's been paid to keep quiet and the police don't know. Don't blow his cover."

Matsuda waved over to Misa looking excited about his new assignment, at least until Misa started complaining. "This old guy is my manager? Oh, you can't be serious!"

Matsuda looked crest-fallen. "C'mon! What's wrong with me Misa Misa? Is it the tie 'cause I can get rid of it!" Miya kind of felt bad for him. Misa was being a bit harsh. Matsuda wasn't exactly a grandpa.

Aizawa stood up quickly and slammed his hands on the table, surprising everyone in the room. It looked like he had had enough. "Ah! Would you cut it out with all the dating, kissing and Misa Misa talk already?! This is the Kira investigation! Stop messing around!"

"Sorry about that Aizawa." Matsuda apologized.

"No it's alright," Aizawa replied through his teeth. "I just figured out what the problem is. Misa Amane, it's time for you to go to your room."

"Why?"

Aizawa stood up and began pushing Misa towards the door. She was struggling against him, not wanting to leave. "Out you go!"

Misa looked past him and said, "Hey Light! Let's go on a date even if it's the three of us!" After she said this, Aizawa was able to push her out and slammed the door before she could squeeze herself in again.

"Thank you Aizawa!" Miya said appreciatively, though she kind of wished she could have done that herself. "I wasn't sure how much more of "I love Light" I could take…"

"So Light," L asked, turning towards the brown-haired teen, "are you serious about her?"

Light practically scoffed. "No way. Like I told you earlier, it's completely one-sided."

"Then could you at least pretend to be serious with her for the sake of this investigation? There are two things I know about Amane for sure, one, that she's involved in this, and two, that she's in love with you." He said the last part with a chuckle, and Miya didn't exactly like how he said that.

Light had a blank look on his face. "You want me to become intimate with her to gather information about the second Kira?"

"Yes, I think you could do it without arousing her suspicions and Amane would definitely be a valuable source of information for us, not to mention this is the main reason I agreed to release the two of you."

"Ryuzaki, as much as I want to help you, and as important as the Kira case is to me, I can't manipulate a woman's feelings like that. Please try to understand, to me exploiting another person's feelings for personal gain is unforgivable and I won't allow myself to stoop that low."

Miya wanted to give Light a standing ovation for saying something like that. "That was very nicely put, Light!" she said enthusiastically. "It's nice to see some men don't approve of using women! Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him Ryuzaki. It could help you in the future if you ever want a girlfriend."

L didn't say anything to her but he could tell she was annoyed with him. He really needed to watch what he said around her. His mind wandered away from her, however, and wandered back over to thoughts about Misa. Could she have been controlled by Kira?

"What's wrong Ryuzaki?" Light asked, noticing L's silence.

"Nothing," L replied. "I suppose you're right, after all. However, considering Misa will have a lot of contact with the public, it would be helpful if you make sure she doesn't leak information."

Light looked around the hotel room. "By the way, do you think we can come up with some sort of alternative to this system of moving from hotel to hotel every few days?"

"Yes!" L said excitedly. Miya looked at him in confusion. It wasn't often that he showed such enthusiasm. "In fact, I had that very same thought some time ago and so…I arranged for a facility to be built. Construction started right after my first meeting with Mr. Yagami and the others. It should be finished in a few days." He moved to sit in front of his laptop, pulling Light with him. "Where is it?" He mumbled, looking for the file. Miya and the others gathered around him to see what he wanted to show them. "Here it is. Twenty-three floors above ground and two below. Although it's impossible to see from the outside, there are two helicopters hidden on the roof."

"That's amazing." Light commented.

"Yeah it is!" Miya agreed.

"Ideally, I want all of us to spend as much time there as possible. If the investigation team grows, we can accommodate up to sixty people. Misa shouldn't have any complaints, since she'll have her own floor."

"This is truly impressive," Light said. "To go to such lengths…"

Matsuda interrupted. "Hold on a second. Where did you find the finances to build this thing?"

Miya was starting to think the same thing. This building was extraordinary and it definitely did not look cheap.

"As you can see," L said. "It is my intention to solve this case, no matter what it takes. That's how it is."

Aizawa wasn't pleased with this explanation. "I'm sorry, but how is that an answer?"

"No he's right," Light interjected. "The mass killings are bad enough already but personally, I will never forgive Kira for putting my dad and I through this. I wanna solve this no matter what it takes."

L looked at Light quickly. "If you're serious about that, you should try to get close to Misa and find out about the second Kira."

"I can't. That goes against my principles." Light replied simply.

"Right. You said that." L pouted in disappointment. "What a shame."

Aizawa snorted in laughter, causing Mr. Yagami and Miya to look at him curiously. "Uh, nothing. I'm just feeling really motivated right now, chief." He then looked at everyone in the room, one by one. "Ryuzaki, Chief Yagami, Light, Miya, let's get out of here and bring Kira to justice!"

"Excuse me," Matsuda said. He was pointing to himself. "I couldn't help but notice you missed my name."

This caused Miya to laugh before she suddenly remembered something important. She slapped her forehead at her own bad memory. "How could I forget? I'm so bad!" She then turned to the detectives in the room that were looking at her strangely now. "Tomorrow's Noah's birthday and he wants all of you guys at the party! Please say you'll come. It'll mean the world to him."

"Tomorrow is Noah's birthday?" Ryuzaki asked. He was looking at Miya now. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Light gave Ryuzaki a curious glance, wondering why he seemed so interested.

"All this Kira stuff got in the way and it just slipped my mind," Miya replied. "So are you guys coming? It's gonna be at my parents' house."

"Aw, I didn't get a chance to buy the little guy something," Matsuda said, actually looking disappointed about it.

"No, it's fine if you don't get him anything. Just having you guys there will make him happy. So are you coming?"

"Of course!" Matsuda replied.

"I'd love to Miya, but I never get to see my own family as it is. This seems like the best time to be with them before we catch Kira for good," Aizawa said.

Miya nodded. "I understand. Don't worry about it." She turned to Light and L. "What about you guys?"

"I wouldn't miss it," L replied. "Which means Light is coming too." Light looked annoyed by the situation but didn't say anything.

"Great!" Miya said excitedly. "Noah is going to be so happy! You guys are the best!"

* * *

Miya didn't know what she was thinking, having the party at her place, when she saw all the little children from the day care running around. They seemed to be having a good time though, Noah included, and that was the most important thing. So Miya ignored the oncoming headache and tried to focus on creating a great party.

She opened the back door to let the kids play a game of tag outside in the back yard when she heard the doorbell ring. "I'll be right back!" she told them, jogging to the door. When she opened it, she saw the familiar detectives that had quickly become her friends.

"You guys are here!" she said elatedly. She paused and frowned however when she saw that Ryuzaki and Matsuda were holding nicely wrapped boxes in their hands. "What are those?"

"They're presents for Noah," Matsuda replied obviously.

"I told you guys not to worry about it!"

"Miya," Matsuda said. "We weren't going to come to Noah's birthday party without getting him a present."

"Mr. Panda!" Noah said excitedly. He ran up to Ryuzaki and held his arms out to him, wanting to be picked up.

"Noah…" Miya said.

Instead of saying anything, Ryuzaki complied with Noah's wants and lifted him off the ground.

"I so happy you here!" Noah said. There was a big smile on his face as he stared at his favorite detective.

"How old are you turning today, Noah?" Ryuzaki asked him.

Noah held out four little fingers to him. "Four!"

"Wow buddy," Matsuda said. "You're getting older every day. Soon, you'll be old enough to be a detective."

"That would be cool!" Noah announced. He then struggled out of L's arms and joined his friends without another word.

"He sure seems to like you," Light pointed out.

L didn't have a chance to respond, not that he wanted to anyway, as Miya's parents were approaching the group of adults.

"Ah! Ryuga, it's nice to see you…again…" Miya's mom started to say until she noticed the long handcuffs binding Light and L together. She eyed them curiously.

Miya shook her head in annoyance. How could she have forgotten about the handcuffed thing when inviting them over? She tried to avoid that conversation as she introduced the guys. "Mom, this is Touta Matsuda and Light Yagami. They work with me too."

"I see…Miya, can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked her. So much for avoiding that…

"Okay," Miya replied reluctantly. She turned towards the guys. "Make yourselves at home. There are snacks in the kitchen."

When Miya and her mom were out of earshot and away from everyone, Mrs. Yamaguchi faced her daughter. "Why is your boyfriend handcuffed to that handsome young man?"

Miya groaned. "It's kinda hard to explain but it's for work. They have to be like that. I promise you it's nothing provocative. Besides, Ryuga's dating me. He's in no way interested in Light." Miya never thought she would have to defend her boyfriend's sexuality, but then again she never thought she would have to explain why her boyfriend was handcuffed to another man.

"Well, that's a little more reassuring…Miya, sweetie, are you sure you want someone that…eccentric?"

"Yeah, I really like him. And he likes Noah a lot, which is also important."

Miya's mother was starting to doubt her daughter's sanity, but decided to let it slide. Miya was an adult and so she could make her own decisions. Though, Mrs. Yamaguchi was definitely having a hard time hiding her disapproval for the dark haired man.

After Miya left her mom, she made her way towards the older men to see that Light and Matsuda were sitting on the couch discussing something while Ryuzaki was at the table looking for something to eat. The chain was long enough to allow this distance, and Miya was thankful for that. When L had first told her of this plan, she had pictured ordinary handcuffs with a three inch chain. Luckily this wasn't the case, and Miya found they could almost carry on ordinary conversations without Light hearing.

She walked over to Ryuzaki and looked at him curiously. "Finding anything you like?"

"There aren't enough sweet things here," L said with disappointment.

"Well, when you have a whole group of small kids, limiting the sugar intake is a very good idea. They're hyper enough as it is. Besides, we're gonna have cake and ice cream soon."

"I didn't mean to upset you last night," L said quietly after a few moments of silence. Miya was sure it was because he didn't want people to hear them speaking so intimately.

Miya followed his lead and talked silently as well. "I just didn't like the fact that you didn't seem to care for Misa's feelings. You had no problem asking Light to use her for the sake of the investigation and it got me thinking. Would you use me just for the investigation? Could you easily manipulate my feelings for your own gain? I have a hard time trusting men after what went on with Noah's father, and the last thing I want is to not be able to trust you."

L looked around him sneakily, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "I'm going to be honest with you. If you were suspected of being Kira, I would use your emotions for my benefit because I'm a detective and I can't let personal feelings get in the way. But because you're not, I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I find myself liking you more each day and upsetting you is something I don't want to do. Though I find that I manage to do that regularly regardless…"

L seemed annoyed with his habit of saying things that managed to upset her and Miya had to smile at his comment. "It's a good thing I like you too much to stay mad at you."

L picked up a strawberry from the fruit tray before saying, "I'm glad that's settled. Are we having cake now?"

Miya chuckled. "Whatever you say."

Soon, the cake was brought out and everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' to Noah. He stared hungrily at the desert in front of him, almost as hungrily as L, and made his wish before everyone dug in. After the cake was devoured, it was present time and Noah was ecstatic.

He received various gifts, like clothes and action figures from his friends. It was all very exciting for him and when he saw he had two presents left from Matsuda and Ryuzaki, he grew even more thrilled because they were detectives and would surely know what he liked and really wanted.

"I hope you like it, Noah," Matsuda said. "You left quite an impression last time I saw you. Once I saw it, I had to get it for you." Noah ripped off the wrapping paper to find it was a stuffed panda. It was bigger than both Panda and Rocky and much softer, and instead of being black and white, it was white and a dark blue. "I figure you could use another one in your collection."

"Aw, Matsu, that's so sweet," Miya told him. "Noah, what do you say?"

"Thank you!" he said, grasping onto it tightly. He then turned to the last present he had left. He knew it was from Ryuzaki and he was beside himself with excitement. When he opened it, he knew he was right in expecting something good from him. It was a mini detective set, including a detective's hat and magnifying glass.

"Thank you Mr. Panda!" Noah practically yelled. He ran up to Ryuzaki and gave him a tight hug. L wasn't sure how to respond, so he didn't. "Now I can be a detective too!"

Then he ran off to play detective with all the other little kids.

"Thanks you guys," Miya said to Matsuda and Ryuzaki. "That was really sweet of you."

"Sorry I didn't get a chance to buy anything," Light replied sheepishly. Miya knew he totally could have bought something when L and Matsuda did, but she decided to brush that off her shoulder.

"No, that's fine Light, you came to the party…even though you didn't really have a choice. Noah's really happy now and I have you guys to thank for it."

"It was no problem Miya," Matsuda said. "Noah's a great kid and I had a blast."

"We should probably get going," Ryuzaki said. "I'm sorry to leave to soon, but we really need to find Kira."

"I understand. Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, you can stay with Noah," Ryuzaki replied. "Finish celebrating his birthday. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright," Miya said. She then turned around and called out to her son. "Noah, come say bye to your guests!"

Noah skipped over to them, looking completely cheerful and hyped up on birthday cake and ice cream. "Thank you for coming and for the presies!"

"No problem, buddy," Matsuda said. "Happy Birthday!"

The trio made to leave until a small voice made them stop.

"Mr. Panda, can I tell you something?" Noah asked. Ryuzaki turned to Matsuda and Light, indicating for them to go on ahead. They both headed away as far as Light's chaining would allow and waited for L, who crouched down to Noah's height and looked at him expectantly. "Thanks for the detective set!"

"It was no problem, Noah."

"Wanna know what I wished for?"

L was almost certain that the tradition said if you told your birthday wish, it wouldn't come true, but he was curious to know why Noah wanted to tell him so badly so he let the boy continue.

"I wished you were my daddy," he said quietly. L was completely stunned for once in his life as Noah continued.

"I've neva' had a daddy before and mommy likes you," Noah continued. "That's what I really wanted for my birfday."

"I see," L said finally. "Well, I guess…we'll just have to see if that wish comes true, won't we?" That was the best Ryuzaki could come up with and he was glad Noah accepted it so easily.

"Okay! Bye Mr. Panda!"

On the way back to the hotel where Light and L were staying, L couldn't stop thinking about Noah and his wish. He really wanted him to be his father? This was another situation he had never been in before, though with Miya it seemed like these new situations were coming from around every corner. Would he be able to come up with an answer to this one?


	13. Goodnight

A/N: Thanks for the reviews you guys! So glad you're liking this story! The next chapter won't be posted intil at least Monday because I'm leaving for a cruise and Thursday and I'm just going to be really busy tomorrow. But hopefully this one will hold you till then. I seriously love this chapter. Lots of Miya/L fluff!

Enjoy, please review, and don't forget to vote in the poll!

* * *

**Chapter 13: Goodnight**

"If possible, this is more boring than the confinement period," Miya complained, looking at the large screen in the new headquarters that reflected Misa watching television. The new building was amazing, with countless space for any detective added to the team, but the work being done there was not as exciting. All they had to go on so far was that Misa was potentially the second Kira, and that Light was maybe involved somehow. Problem was, the two didn't remember anything of the sort, and now that the killings were going strong, the evidence was pointing in a different direction. Never the less, the team had been spending some of its energy on monitoring Misa Misa, and L was devoting every second to watching his new accessory, Light.

"Yes, it is rather dull," L said, turning away from the screen to look at Miya. He had been stacking the tiny plastic packages of coffee creamer to entertain himself as he observed Misa's dull life. Light was in the chair beside him, browsing the computer to keep the team updated on the most recent Kira killings.

"I should head home soon," she continued. "I never really see Noah during the day anymore. I feel bad, like I'm a bad mother or something."

"You're a wonderful mother," L assured her. Light gave him a sideways glance, finding himself wondering again why Ryuzaki seemed to care about how Miya felt.

"I hope so," Miya sighed, giving L a slight smile. He turned back to the screen and tried to make his tone sound uncaring as he continued.

"Well, if it's an inconvenience for you two, then perhaps it would be in you and Noah's best interest to move in to headquarters. There's ample space for the both of you." Miya raised her eyebrow, but kept her cool.

"Hmm, that might be a good idea. I've been looking to move out of my parent's house anyway, and this would be a great start." She couldn't lie to herself; the idea of being right near L all the time sounded amazing, that is, until she remembered Light would be there too. Man, that guy was really starting to get on her nerves! Mostly because he was always there, for obvious reasons, and then when he wasn't, Misa was talking about him in her annoying 'love' voice. There was no escape from Light, and sometimes Miya just wished it was dark.

"Perfect. You can live on the floor under Misa." Miya thought about this for a moment in dissatisfaction. Misa's room was more than ten floors away from L's and Light's, and the idea of being so far away from L when they had the potential to be so close was upsetting, so Miya tried to hint her disapproval without being obvious to Light.

"Um, but Noah would definitely annoy Misa, even a floor away, so I think we shouldn't be so close to her."

"Well, the walls are thick here. I assure you it won't be a problem." Miya sighed and knew she was just going to have to tell him. Either she was a horrible hinter or L's deductive skills didn't apply to her. Maybe it was a bit of both. Miya casually sat on the edge of the table L and Light were sitting in front of and pretended to stretch.

"Oops!" she said when she "accidentally" bumped into the stack of coffee creamers, sending them flying off the table and onto the floor. L looked up at her for a moment before hopping out of his chair and squatting on the floor to collect them. Miya hopped down to help and, just as she was anticipating, Light opted to remain in his chair rather than help.

"L," she whispered when they were picking up the creamers under the table, certain that Light couldn't hear. "What are you doing trying to stick me near Misa?"

"I just figured you'd like a whole floor," he shrugged.

"Well, I don't need a whole floor," she said. "It's just me and Noah. I was actually hoping we could be closer to you."

"To me?" L said, confused. "But either way I won't be able to see you, so what's the difference?"

"It's the thought, okay," Miya said, shoving some packages into his hands. "What, you don't want to be near me?" She stood back up looking annoyed, and sat in her chair. L appeared with a handful of coffee creamers and proceeded to restack them once he was back in his seat.

"On second thought Miya, perhaps it would be better if you moved closer to the lower level," he suggested casually. "It's closer to where we conduct work anyway."

"Okay, doesn't matter to me," Miya said calmly, smiling slightly at L. Light sighed and turned away from the computer he'd been browsing.

"Two more killings this past weekend," he informed. "All from heart attacks." Miya sighed, as each update just added to the murders. It wasn't exactly happy news to hear, so she stood up and walked to the door.

"I'm going to go home and prepare for the move," she said. "Tomorrow works for me? Is that alright Ryuzaki?"

"Yes," he said, turning to face her as his newly piled stack of creamers crumpled to the desk. "We'll help you to move in tomorrow." Miya nodded and headed out the door as Light turned to face L.

"Help her?" he said. "Matsuda managed to move in on his own."

"Yes, but we should help the women move their things," he said. "It's the gentlemanly way, correct? Did you not help Misa move her things in?"

"Yes, but she's apparently my girlfriend," Light said, obviously annoyed to call her that. "She made me help. Miya should be fine on her own."

"Well, Miya will be busy with Noah so I figured you and your father, along with Aizawa, Matsuda, and myself could be of assistance to her." Light groaned.

"Oh, you'll be alright," L said. "If you're upset perhaps we should go see Misa. I know she always cheers you up." Light shot L a bitter glance, as everyone besides Misa was aware of his annoyance toward her, before turning his head back to the computer and getting back to work.

* * *

"Yeah, okay, bed in that room," she said, pointing the way for Matsuda and Aizawa, who were forced with the heavier objects since Mr. Yagami was older and L and Light were tied together. L had arranged for them to be in a two bedroom area with a bathroom, living room, and small kitchen. The perfect size for Miya's small family. Best of all, she was literally right down the hall from L. Her parents had been quite surprised by the news of Miya's new home, but they were happy none-the-less. They had offered to help but Miya had insisted that she could handle it. She wasn't sure if they were allowed in the building in the first place, and she didn't want to explain it to them. She hoped that if she visited enough, they wouldn't feel the need to visit her, though they probably would. Miya decided to ignore the issue in hopes it would eventually go away.

"Where to?" Mr. Yagami said, rolling in a dresser that he had propped on a moving cart. Miya pointed him the same direction as Matsuda and Aizawa when Noah came running from his bedroom.

"Wow it's big!" Noah said excitedly, jumping up and down.

"You like?" Miya said with a grin. Noah nodded and clapped his hands.

"It's the best room ever!"

"Glad you like it," L said, stepping in the apartment with a box in his hands. Light was right behind him, carrying a lamp with obvious boredom.

"We should be working on the Kira case," he complained. L turned back to look at him.

"Watari is observing Misa and for now that's all we can do." Light sighed and placed the lamp randomly on the floor, not bothering to ask Miya where to put it.

"Well thankfully for you guys that's everything," Miya said when Matsuda and Aizawa appeared, looking tired. Mr. Yagami was right behind them, rolling out the dresser-less cart effortlessly. The place was filled with boxes, but not too much furniture. Miya really only had what had been in her's and Noah's rooms at home.

"Thank goodness," Matsuda sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Not that I mind helping but your furniture sure is heavy."

"Well thank you all very much," Miya said with a smile. She was officially moved in to headquarters, and she couldn't deny, it was pretty exciting.

* * *

"Do you like your new room?" Miya asked Noah as he hopped into bed. She pulled his blanket over him and handed him his stuffed pandas. He took them happily and snuggled into his pillow.

"Yeah, it's the best!" Noah giggled, looking around. L had arranged for the walls to be painted blue for him, though Miya wasn't sure how he'd gotten it ready so quickly. He was always good like that. Noah's bed sat in a corner, his dresser to the far wall, and a few pictures hanging up. Then there were his toys and such that filled the empty spaces. Miya had been working since they'd gotten everything moved in to make his room up for him; she figured hers could wait until Noah was settled in.

"Okay well, goodnight sweetie," Miya said, kissing his forehead and heading for the door.

"Mommy," Noah said before she was gone.

"Yes?" she asked, turning to face him with her hand on the light switch.

"Can Mr. Panda tuck me in?" Miya smiled at his adorableness and shook her head.

"No 'cause Mr. Light would have to come too."

"Oh, he's boring," Noah complained. "Oh well, Mr. Panda can tuck me another day, right?"

"I bet he'd love that," Miya assured him, flicking the lights off and stepping out of his room. She walked through the nearly empty living room and into her equally empty bedroom. All that filled it was a full sized bed, a dresser, and a few boxes. She dug through them to find clean sheets and blankets and proceeded to make her bed before changing into her pajamas. She had just settled in and turned off her lights when she heard a knock on the door.

"Noah, come in sweetie. What's wrong?" she called in a concerned voice. The door opened, but the man who entered was not her four year old son.

"L?" she said, bolting upright. "What are you doing?"

"I came to see you," he explained. "You said you wanted to be close to me so I figured we could take advantage of our proximity."

"But, I don't understand," she said, flicking on the lights so she could see him better. "Where's Light?"

"Well, you see I'm in control of our attachment, so I simply unlocked my handcuff once I was certain he was asleep and chained him to his bed."

"Kinky," Miya chuckled, though L didn't appear amused. "Sorry," she laughed. "I couldn't resist. Do you sleep in the same bed?"

"No," L said simply. "He sleeps in his bed and I rest on a chair beside him."

"Oh right," Miya said, standing up and walking toward him. "You don't sleep much. So, I guess you can just go back to him then and handcuff yourself back up without him even knowing you were gone."

"Correct," L agreed. Miya was about half way to him when she stopped and turned away.

"What?" he asked.

"Just realized I'm a mess, what with the baggy pajamas and tangled hair. Yeah this is embarrassing."

"I didn't notice," L shrugged, his eyes unblinking as he took in her appearance. "And I don't mind." Miya blushed somewhat before turning back around and continuing toward him. She reached him quickly and wrapped her arms around his neck, which proved quite easy considering he was already hunched over.

"Well it's good to see you alone," she admitted. "I missed you." She met his lips with hers, something she hadn't been able to do for a few days, and took a moment to enjoy it. L quickly removed his hands from his pockets and placed them on her waist before she finally pulled back.

"Hmm, so is this your nightly plan?" she asked. "To come over and see me?"

"It is a nice break," L nodded. Miya chuckled and dropped her arms from him, heading back over to the bed. She slid back under the covers with a yawn as L remained where he was standing.

"You can come over," Miya said, patting the place on the bed beside her. L hesitated, so Miya stood back up and walked over to him, grabbing his hand. "I'm not gonna make you stand there." She led him to the bed and pushed his shoulders down so he was sitting, heading around to the other side and sliding back under her warm covers. She turned over to see him pulling his knees to his chest.

"You know, Noah wanted you to tuck him in tonight," Miya mentioned as he turned to look at her. "I think he really likes you now."

"I'll have to tuck him in again when Kira is caught," L agreed, looking pleased. He hadn't told Miya about Noah's birthday wish; it was something he thought he'd keep to himself for a while. Miya watched him for a moment in silence, observing his face as his smile faded.

"What's the matter L?" she asked finally. "You seem frustrated lately." L worked on the case every day like usual, but Miya felt like his attitude was changing. Something was bothering him.

"It's nothing," he said. Miya sighed and sat up, scooting behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"I'm tired and I don't want to beat around the bush," Miya admitted. "I know something's bothering you so just tell me." She kissed his shoulder as he hesitated, pulling his thoughts together.

"I just don't want to accept that Light might not be Kira," L confessed after a moment. "Everyone seems so convinced now and I just know that he's got something to do with it." Miya sighed into his shoulder.

"It will all come together L. You just need to relax." L shrugged under her weight and Miya chuckled, kissing his cheek before scooting back over to her spot. L looked to her with unblinking eyes and what Miya thought was a hint of disappointment that she left him so quickly. He was just feeling so defeated lately, and Miya was the only person who managed to make him feel better. This was reflected completely in his face, and Miya laughed and sat back up.

"Here," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders. She began rubbing them and L turned his head to look at her in confusion. "I'm helping you relax," she explained as she attempted to rub the tenseness out of his back and shoulders. "Plus you've got that hunched over thing going on so maybe this will solve that," she added with a giggle. Finally he turned around to face her, grabbing her hands.

"I'm not sure it's working," he admitted. Miya smiled and leaned into him, kissing him softly. She pulled away after a moment.

"I have another idea. Lay against the pillow!" she ordered.

"Why?" L asked, confused. Miya tilted her head at him with a 'just do it' expression and so he reluctantly released his knees and lounged back. Miya scooted over to him and rested her head on his shoulder, sliding her arm around his waist.

"There," she said. "Now you can lose forty-percent of your deductive abilities and maybe you won't worry so much." L had to admit, he wasn't thinking about Kira as Miya snuggled into him, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Slowly, as not to disturb her, he pulled his arm over to her and stroked her hair from her face before resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Goodnight," she mumbled.

"Goodnight," L replied as he watched her drift off to sleep.

* * *

Miya awoke the next morning with a smile, rubbing her eyes and rolling over with the anticipation of seeing L. He wasn't there, however, and Miya remembered with disappointment that he was back with Light, handcuffed and out of her reach. Miya suddenly felt a random stab of resentment toward Misa, who was constantly complaining about not being able to see Light alone. At least she was able to see him and tell the world that he was hers. Miya would give anything for that now, but she knew it was impossible. If Light was in fact Kira, as L so strongly believed, then it would do neither of them any good for him to find out.

She pulled herself out of bed and got dressed, heading into the living room where Noah was watching TV.

"Morning mommy!" Noah giggled excitedly.

"Morning sweetie," she said with a smile, heading to the kitchen to fix him breakfast. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I sleep real good. Did you?" Noah wondered. Miya smiled as she poured him some cereal.

"Better than I expected," she replied as Noah hopped off the couch and headed over to get his food.

* * *

"Good morning Miya," L said casually as she appeared in the main room of headquarters after dropping Noah off for day care. Despite the fact that there was ample space in the new building, there was still no one to watch him, so Miya still had to travel a few blocks down the street to his day care. It was still more convenient than her previous living situation, however, as the day care was much closer now. "I trust you slept well?"

"Very well actually, thank you," Miya replied with a slight smile that only L understood. The team was gathered around the computers, researching the Kira investigations most recent killings. Miya walked up behind L's chair and looked over his shoulder at the screen.

"Another killing huh?" she said, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Light. Could he really be Kira and them not even be able to prove it? It seemed like such a crazy idea now, but for some reason Miya felt that there was some truth there. Maybe it was because L believed it so strongly, or maybe it was just because Light creeped her out a little. Either way, she did not trust him.

"Yes, they're continuing rather steadily," L said, placing his thumb to his lip. "I'm not sure what to make of it. Criminals have continued dying but…"

"But it seems like non-criminals are too," Miya noted, looking at the information. "Could it be Kira?"

"Maybe," L sighed. Miya knew he was frustrated, so, as she was certain no one was looking, she let her hand slide from the back of his chair to his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Miya?" Matsuda said. Miya jumped and reached her hands up to her head in an attempt to make it look like she was stretching.

"Yeah?" she fake yawned.

"Did you make any cake?" he asked. All the detectives turned to look at her, and Miya laughed.

"I'll go whip some up now," she said, rolling her eyes. "Geez, now I see why you guys like having me around."

* * *

Miya was comfortably in her bed that night, staring at the door, hoping that L would walk in. After about fifteen minutes, she sighed and turned the light out, only to hear a knock.

"L!" she half yelled, shooting up and running to the door. She had her cute pajamas on; silky pant bottoms and a matching tank top; and her hair was fixed in the perfect messy look. Therefore she was rather disappointed when she threw the door open and Noah was standing there.

"Oh…" she sighed. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"I need wata," he said simply, heading to the kitchen. Miya sighed and followed him, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. Noah sipped it happily before handing it back to her and wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Much betta!" he giggled, skipping off to bed. Miya followed and re-tucked him in before clomping her feet back to her room and flopping back into bed.

"And to think I put my cute pajamas on for nothing…" Miya grumbled, pulling the blanket over herself.

"Cute pajamas?" L's voice said in the dark. Miya gasped and turned on the light to see Ryuzaki standing there in his normal outfit, his hair a mess and his hands in his pockets. He was looking toward her curiously, and Miya had to take a moment to catch her breath.

"God you scared the crap out of me!" Miya said, her hand clutching her chest. "It's called knocking or…I don't know, something besides appearing out of nowhere!"

"I'm sorry," L apologized. "I didn't mean to frighten you." Miya shrugged.

"I'm over it now," she said. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming!" She pouted obviously and L cracked a smile. This made Miya laugh as she hopped out of bed to greet him.

"Hmm, I suppose those are cute pajamas aren't they?" L thought aloud in a low voice as Miya approached him. Miya did a little spin and laughed.

"Well, now that I can expect you I won't look as scary as I did last night," she said as she reached him, sliding and arm around his waist as the other rested on his chest. She glanced at her hand as she played with his shirt, tracing the wrinkles in the fabric with her finger. "So, are you going to come by every night?" she wondered, finally meeting his gaze.

"Every night you'll have me," L replied simply. Miya leaned up and met his lips before letting her lips trail away from his and up his cheek until her mouth was at his ear.

"You may wanna clear your nights for a while then," she whispered before returning to his mouth for another kiss. She let her hands slide up into his already messy hair as his wrapped around her waist. Finally, she let go and pulled him toward the bed, letting him go when she reached it and sliding back under her covers. L pulled himself up into his thinking position as Miya furrowed her eyebrows.

"You know what I just realized," she said, rolling over to see him. "I don't know your real name." L looked at her with unblinking eyes and Miya sighed. "You're not going to tell me today, are you?"

"Not tonight, no," L answered. Miya grabbed the pillow beside him and smacked him with it, catching him off guard. He wobbled slightly and had to catch himself before he fell over. Miya laughed and rolled over, shutting the light off.

"Night," she giggled, rolling on her back and closing her eyes. She opened them however when she felt L's hand hesitantly graze her stomach before pulling away. She glanced over to see him lying beside her, attempting to hold her as she fell asleep. Miya scooted into his chest and pulled his arm over her for him. "There," she said, taking a deep breath. He smelled like sugar, but then again Miya wasn't surprised.

"Goodnight," she heard L say as she fell asleep.


	14. Caught

A/N: Look who's back from the bahamas! Let me just say, if you ever have the opportunity to go on a cruise...Disney Cruise all the way!

Anyway, onto the topic of Death Note...I cannot believe we already have 100 reviews. That's amazing and very exciting! Thank you guys so much! We're glad you like this story! And in this chapter, we've got sexy men in handcuffs, Miya/L fluff, and Noah/L fluff-ish. Kinda. For the Miya and L part, just keep in mind that time has gone by. Their relationship hasn't just taken place in a day, okay?

Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 14: Caught**

Aizawa walked in half-naked and looking completely disgruntled. Miya had to hold in laugh when she saw that he must have had trouble going through security, resulting in him walking in pant-less.

"Good morning," he grumbled. Matsuda and Mr. Yagami eyed him curiously.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Yagami asked. "Did you get hurt?"

"Oh this?" Aizawa touched the bandage that was on his forehead gingerly before facing the group again. "Kind of. I had a little fight with my wife and…it's just that my daughter's still young and I'm hardly ever at home as it is. So…"

"Oh. Yes, it's probably best if you sleep at home," Mr. Yagami agreed. He looked down in disappointment and Miya was sure he felt bad for never being at home with his own family anymore.

"Well, you're going to be missing out," Matsuda said, looking around the room. "The rooms in this place are amazing. If I were you I'd just move the whole family in here, like Miya did. Everything's working out for you, isn't it Miya?"

"Well, yeah," Miya replied. "Noah loves it here, but I don't think it's the same situation." Even so, Miya still felt she could identify. She still didn't get to see Noah as often as she would like, even if they did live in headquarters now. A part of her felt guilty for seeing L as often as she did as well, but their visits were mostly at night when Noah was asleep. It appeared that a downside to being a detective was sacrificing time with your family.

"Yeah," Aizawa agreed before looking back to Matsuda. "That's easy for you to say as a bachelor. Where are they?" he asked changing the subject. He was referring to Misa, Light, and Ryuzaki.

"They're on a date," Matsuda replied easily. He seemed really excited about it. "Last we checked all of them were in Misa Misa's room."

"Hm. Surveillance cameras, huh? Well, since we know Misa has a connection to the second Kira, I guess that makes sense. But for God sake Matsuda, would you stop with this Misa Misa crap?" Miya couldn't agree more. She wasn't particularly liking Misa at the moment because she was always hogging L, even if unwillingly, to be with Light all the time. Not to mention she could be rather annoying.

"Uh, yeah sure," Matsuda replied. They all turned to the enormous screen in front of them to see Misa in her room, Light and L sitting next to each other on the couch across from her. L was sitting in his usual position while Light was lounging about on the couch. Misa just looked annoyed.

"Man, this has gotta be the lamest date I've ever been on," the blonde complained.

"No no, please, just pretend I'm not even here, okay?" L responded casually. "By the way, are you going to eat that piece of cake?" He pointed at it and eyed it longingly.

Miya sighed. "That man and his cake…"

"Cake makes you fat. I'm not gonna eat any," Misa said. Miya furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at herself. She sure had eaten a lot of cake lately, but Misa's theory seemed to be false as Miya was still as slim as ever.

L scratched the top of his head. "Actually, I found that you don't gain any weight as long as you burn calories using your brain." Miya cracked a slight smile at his comment. She had been using her brain a lot lately, so maybe it did balance out all the sweets.

Misa, on the other hand, was insulted. "Hmm! So now you're calling me stupid? Fine then! I'll give you the piece of cake as long as you agree to leave me and Light alone!"

"Even if I leave you two alone, I'm still going to be watching on the surveillance cameras, so it wouldn't make any difference."

"You pervert!" Misa yelled. "Could you stop it with your creepy hobby?"

L stood up on the table and reached across it, grabbing at the slice of cake on Misa's side. "You can call me whatever you like. Last chance for cake."

"Okay then," Misa said through her teeth, getting more annoyed by the second. "I'll just close the curtains and turn off the lights."

"We have infrared cameras in here as well." L seemed to have an answer for everything.

Light looked over at L with a curious expression on his face. "What's wrong with you? I thought moving here was supposed to help us catch Kira, but since we've been here you don't seem all that motivated to me."

Ryuzaki turned to Light, giving him a blank stare. "Not motivated? You're right. Actually, I'm depressed."

"Depressed? What for?" Miya tilted her head and wondered what feelings L would be willing to reveal to him.

"Well," L started taking a bite of the cake. His fork hung from his mouth as he continued. "Truthfully, all this time I thought that you were Kira and my entire case hinted on that fact. I guess I just can't get past the fact that my deduction was wrong. Although, having said that, I'm still suspicious of you. That's why we're wearing these," he held his arm up to show his handcuffs to Light. "And we also know that Kira can control people's actions, which means it's highly likely that Kira was controlling your actions so that I would suspect you. If I assume both you and Misa were being controlled by him, then everything we observed so far makes a lot more sense to me."

"If that's what you think, Misa and I were both Kira during the time we were being controlled, right?" Light said thoughtfully.

"Yes, I don't think I could have been wrong about that. The two of you are Kira. If what I'm thinking is correct, when your confinement began, you were Kira. I don't believe it's coincidence that since you were in prison, the killings stopped. Until then, everything pointed to you being Kira, but after two weeks, criminals actually began dying again. Based on that evidence, I can only conclude that Kira's power passes through people."

Miya was surprised that L was actually giving away his thoughts to Light so easily. He was barely going to tell her the other night and yet his thoughts were now out in the open.

"That's an interesting idea. But if it's true, it'll be nearly impossible for us to catch Kira," Light told him.

L looked downhearted. "Yes, that's why I'm overwhelmed. Even if we catch someone under his control, they'll likely lose their power and any memory of their crimes, so in the end, pursuing them becomes futile."

Light's arms were crossed in front of his chest. "But at this point, we have no way of knowing if that's the case. Cheer up, would ya?"

L turned to look at Light. "Cheer up? No, I'm sorry, I can't. It's probably better if I stop trying so hard." He placed his index finger in his mouth in thought. His voice was muffled slightly now as he tried to talk. "By chasing Kira so desperately we're just putting our lives at risk for nothing. Yes, it's just a waste of time." Miya was surprised. She knew he was feeling defeated lately but just giving up? That didn't sound like L to her.

Light stood up. "Ryuzaki," he said simply.

L was confused by his actions and turned to him in surprise. "Huh?"

Light's fist then collided roughly with L's jaw, sending him flying across the room. L practically did a back flip as he hit the far wall, knocking over the plant that was beside him. Light was pulled after him by the handcuffs, flipping the coffee table on its side as well. Misa screamed in surprise and tried to back away from them, resulting in stepping on the deserted cake on the floor.

Miya's jaw dropped. Who knew Light had all that strength in him? She hoped L was okay as he tried to get up sluggishly.

"You know that really hurt…" he commented.

"That's enough!" Light yelled in his face. "You don't feel like doing anything, just because your genius deduction was wrong and I'm not Kira!"

L rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand and Miya could see a bruise now forming. "Fine," he said gruffly. "Perhaps I phrased it the wrong way. I meant it would be pointless for us to make a move so we shouldn't even bother."

"If we don't chase Kira, he'll never be caught! Is that what you want? If you were just going to give up then why did you involve all those innocent people?" Light walked towards Ryuzaki and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him roughly near his face. "More importantly what was the point of putting Misa and me behind bars?"

"I understand," L mumbled. "But still, whatever the reason," He stopped in the middle of his sentence to get himself out of Light's hold and forcefully kicked Light in the face, sending him flying backwards, "an eye for an eye my friend."

Miya wanted to fan herself. Even though he didn't mean to, L was being very sexy at the moment. Matsuda and the others weren't looking so she quickly fanned herself anyway, mouthing the word 'damn', before facing the screen again.

Light and L were flying across the room back toward the couch, landing on it roughly and knocking it over in the process. Misa stood over them, her hands to her face in shock. Both men then struggled slightly to get up.

"It's not my deduction that was wrong," L continued, practically glaring at Light. "The fact is I can say that Light Yagami is Kira and Misa Amane is the second Kira, but it won't be enough to solve the case and that is why I'm a little depressed. Is that so unreasonable?"

Light was trying to get up to face him again. "Yes. Yes it is. Besides, you should hear yourself. It's as if you won't be satisfied unless I am Kira."

L was thoughtful now. "I won't be satisfied unless you're Kira?" he mumbled out loud to himself. "Well, there may be some truth to that," L was speaking to Light now. "In fact, now that you mention it, you're right. I think I wanted you to be Kira."

Light was looking pissed. He pulled his arm back and slammed his fist into L's eye. The great detective didn't go flying this time and instead stood his ground, holding his arms stiffly at his sides as he quivered slightly.

"As I said before, an eye for an eye," L said, Light's fist still held to his face. "I'm a lot stronger than I look, you know." Miya was resisting the urge to drool. She couldn't believe how incredibly hot L was as he managed to turn around and deliver another swift kick to Light's face. This fighting was getting out of control now unfortunately.

"We've gotta call the room and stop them!" Matsuda said, concerned.

Light and L both grabbed the front of the other's shirts, ready to give each other a good punch in the face when the phone rang. L quickly released Light and answered the phone, holding it in the unusual way he usually held things.

"Yes?" he said with absolute calm, as if nothing had been going on.

"Ryuzaki, I've got great news! Misa Misa is number one in _Eighteen_ magazine's reader popularity poll!" Miya couldn't help but think that was the stupidest excuse to get them to stop fighting, but it seemed to be working.

"Oh, I see."

"And get this. She's gonna get a lead role in Ishinaka's next movie!"

L hung up right away, not even bothering to respond.

"What was that?" Light asked, the fight apparently over.

"Matsuda's acting stupid again," he said with a sigh.

"Well, that is his specialty," Light said knowingly.

Miya couldn't help it. She burst out laughing at poor Matsuda's face, causing the others to laugh with her.

"I can hear you, you know…" Matsuda sighed, a little hurt.

* * *

After the fight, Light and L eventually made their way back downstairs where the others were sitting around. Miya was prepared for their return and had two ice packs ready for their faces, which now sported lovely purple bruises.

She held them out to the two. "Nice little show you guys had there," she commented. "Very mature."

Neither of them responded to her. L placed the ice on his face happily while Light was a little more hesitant. "Thanks…"

"Miya," L started. "I want you to do something for me."

"Uh, sure," she responded, furrowing her eyebrows. "What is it?"

"We don't seem to be making much progress with Misa Amane," L said. "I feel she would easily tell Light information, but since I'm always there, that seems impossible at the moment. I want you to befriend her and see if you can get anything out of her that way."

"Why me?"

"I find that girls tend to stick together, for whatever reason," L explained. "Since you're the only other female on the team, Misa would be able to trust you easier than she trusts the rest of us, Light excluded."

"So, you're basically telling me to do what you asked Light to do before." It wasn't a question, but he answered anyway.

"Yes, that's correct."

"What's makes you think I'd do something that mean? Even if it is for the investigation?"

L shrugged. "I figure you can eventually become friends with Misa Amane."

Miya grumbled. From what she could see, she thought it was highly impossible to ever be friends with Misa, but for L, she would do it…or at least try. "Fine…"

"Excellent! Let's have some cake!"

* * *

"I can't believe you're making me befriend Misa," Miya grumbled as L stepped through her door that night. She was sitting on her couch in the living room waiting for him to come. When he finally did, the first thing out of her mouth was a complaint. "That girl is so annoying."

"It's for the sake of the investigation," L replied simply, sitting next to her. He pulled his legs closer to his chest and placed his hands on his knees.

Miya raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh huh…well, oh so great detective, was kicking Light's face in part of the investigation as well?"

L hesitated before answering. "He made me mad."

"And that's your excuse?" Miya smirked at him. "Now you have that bruise on your face." She stroked it as gently as she could.

"It will go away soon."

Miya placed a hand on his cheek and turned his face so he was looking at her. She then placed her lips softly on his bruise and his eyelid where Light had punched him earlier. "A kiss to make it better. Noah loves it when I do that."

L half-smiled. "I like it as well."

Miya smiled. "And I know I really shouldn't condone your behavior after what you did today…but you were so sexy standing your ground like that…I didn't think I could want you anymore than I already did but I was wrong." She felt comfortable enough telling him this, and really she just couldn't hide it. She'd been thinking about that fight all day, and she was pretty sure she would dream about it later. Who knew L could kick like that?

L was looking pleased with himself but tried to act as nonchalant as he could. "I wasn't aware you felt that way about me."

"Do you have any idea how difficult it is to keep everyone from knowing just how much I love you?" Miya shut her mouth as quickly as she could and stared at him with wide eyes. L was looking at her with a blank stare and Miya could just feel her cheeks burning. "I…I didn't mean to say that to you so soon…sorry…"

"There's no need to apologize for your feelings, Miya," L said. "I'm flattered. I don't think I've ever been loved before."

Miya was starting to relax. "You're not freaked out?"

"Of course not, Miya."

Miya sighed in relief. "That's good. The last thing I want is a repeat of Noah's father. He definitely wasn't one for love. Now that I look back, I think he was just using me for his own pleasures. It's just different with you."

"Miya, I would do anything for you and Noah," he said sincerely.

"I know," she replied. She grabbed his hand and brought it to her face, placing a kiss on his palm before smiling up at him. "And that's why I love you." She scooted closer to him and placed her lips on his now. He brought himself out of his crouched position and kneeled on the couch in front of Miya, without breaking the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him even closer to her and ran her fingers through his messy hair. He had his hands sitting comfortably on her waist.

Miya's lips left his mouth and slowly started trailing kisses along his jaw line to his neck. This caught L off guard and he let go of her waist in shock. He didn't pull away though, liking the feeling of Miya kissing him. A small moan escaped his lips unexpectedly, causing Miya to smile against him. She loved being able to have that effect on him.

She brought her lips back to his and hugged him closely, pulling him into her as she slowly lay down on the couch, bringing L on top of her. He held his arm out next to her to prop himself up so he wouldn't put all his weight on her.

They were completely occupied and didn't hear the door open.

"Hey Miya," Matsuda said, walking into the living. "I hope you're not asleep yet, but I forgot-!" Matsuda's eyes widened as he saw Miya and L completely engulfed in each other on the couch.

L had heard him first and broke contact with Miya immediately. When he saw Matsuda standing in the doorway, he felt his stomach drop, realizing they had been caught. Miya looked shocked but she didn't say anything, not really knowing what should be said.

"Matsuda!" L yelled, pushing himself off of Miya and standing up off the couch. "You are not to tell anyone what you saw! Understand?"

Matsuda stared with his mouth agape, but when he saw L advancing towards him, he snapped back to reality. "Of course! Sorry!" He retreated for the doorway and L slammed the door in his face.

"Damn it," he grumbled.

Miya sat up and stared at L unsurely. "L…?"

"I should go," he said. He made to open the door but Miya jumped off the couch and walked over to him. She held onto his wrist to stop him.

"Please, don't go. I want you to stay."

"Miya, Matsuda just saw us," he said in an exasperated voice.

"He won't tell anyone. I'm sure of it. You scared him enough to make him forget what he saw anyway…"

"This isn't funny, Miya."

Miya sighed. "I didn't say it was. Please, just come to bed with me. You can leave as soon as I fall asleep."

Miya tried her hardest to pull off the best puppy-dog look she could muster. She wasn't sure if L could even fall for that but she tried anyway. It seemed to work however, as he sighed and followed her into the bedroom. They took their usual spots on the bed and L wrapped his arm around Miya's shoulders as she hugged L around his waist.

She began playing with his shirt absentmindedly as she tried to fall asleep. "Goodnight…" she mumbled. "Love you…" It was just coming so naturally now, Miya didn't even have to think about it when she said it.

L was very tempted to say it back, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He had never been in love before and even though this was all new, he was sure he loved her back. There didn't seem to be another explanation for his emotions.

She was beautiful and intelligent and L couldn't believe how lucky he was. He never thought someone like her would ever fall into his life. After all, he'd never been much of a people person and the last thing he expected was to have a girlfriend.

The only drawback was that now he couldn't focus as well as he would like to on the case. Most of his thoughts had been revolving around Miya recently and that wasn't good when Kira was going around killing people.

And now, on top of everything else, Matsuda knew about Miya and himself. Could he trust the young cop to keep it a secret? He had no choice now. If anyone else were to find out, Miya and Noah could be put in great danger and it would be his entire fault for being so careless. The more he thought about the situation, the more he began to think that maybe these nightly visits weren't such a good idea, no matter how much he wanted to see her.

About an hour later, Miya had finally fallen asleep. She was gripping his shirt slightly, not wanting to let go and he didn't want to leave either, but he knew he had to.

Maybe he could wait another hour…

The bedroom door opened unexpectedly. L's eyes snapped over in the direction of the stranger walking in to see that it was just Noah. That was definitely better than Matsuda, but L still wondered what it was about tonight that was compelling everyone to walk in and see him with Miya. Noah was holding onto the fluffy blue panda Matsuda had given him for his birthday and was rubbing his eyes slightly.

"Mommy," he mumbled. L could tell that he was crying. "I had a bad dweam…"

L looked down at Miya to see she was fast asleep and hadn't heard a word Noah said. He wasn't exactly sure what to do.

"Can I sleep with you?" Noah asked, making his way over to the bed. He jumped when he realized there was someone else in the bed with his mom. If he wasn't already crying, he probably would have in surprise. Thankfully he realized who it was and calmed down. "Mr. Panda? What are you doing here?"

"Uh…" L was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to tell him? "I was just trying to sleep."

"With mommy?" This was not going well…

Miya shifted in her sleep before opening her eyes groggily. The voices had woken her up. "Hm?" She looked up and saw Noah standing next to the bed. "Noah, what are you doing up?"

"I had a bad dweam mommy," he said. "Can I sleep with you?"

Miya nodded and moved away from L's grasp, leaving a gap between them. Noah climbed in happily and clung to his mother as he lay down. She kissed his forehead and L suddenly felt awkward. "I think I'll go now."

Miya was going to tell him to stay some more but Noah beat her to it. "Mr. Panda, pwease stay! I need double p'otection from the monsters!"

"Just a little bit longer," Miya urged. Even though a few things hadn't gone so well tonight, she had still told L she loved him and the last thing she wanted was for him to go.

L lay back down on his side so he was now facing Miya. She smiled and brought her hand to his cheek, stroking it slightly. "Thank you…" she said quietly. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

L watched her peaceful face for a few moments before smiling slightly. He couldn't believe how attached he had gotten to the small family. Noah looked up to him as a father now and that really did make L feel happier. He loved the small boy and was glad they got along so well, especially considering he didn't have much experience with children. Miya and Noah were probably the best things in his life and he would surely do anything for them.


	15. Missing

**Chapter 15****: Missing**

Misa sat comfortably on her couch across from Miya, who was enduring yet another horrible afternoon with the girl. Ever since L had given her the task of trying to find out information on the second Kira, Miya had been spending at least an hour a day with the model. And she was really starting to want to rip her hair out…

"Yeah and then I finished the photo shoot this morning so I came back here to see Light, but of course Ryuzaki was there. You know he really is a pain. It's bad enough that he's right there but does he have to be so hard to ignore? This morning he called me dumb again! You know how he does that thing so that he's not really insulting you but then when you think about it he's being really mean?" Misa pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. Miya had to hold in a laugh, but the struggle soon ended when Misa started talking again.

"But that's okay because he eventually shut up and I got to talk to Light," Misa continued. "He looked really handsome today with his shirt, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah…" Miya agreed. "Hotter than the surface of the sun…" She found herself agreeing a lot lately with how hot Light was, when really the man she found attractive was quite different. But it seemed to keep Misa happy, even if Miya's responses were completely sarcastic.

"I think we're gonna go on another date soon," Misa continued happily. "I mean it would be the three of us, but I really wanna go out with Light. I wish there was another girl to keep Ryuzaki distracted so Light and I can have a little privacy." It was then that Misa's gaze shifted to the brunette in front of her, and Miya groaned.

"No, I am not going to go on your date just so you and Light can make out in peace."

"Please!" Misa begged, clapping her hands together in front of her. "It's not like you have a boyfriend or anything so what else would you be doing?"

"Gee, thanks for pointing out my nonexistent life," Miya said, though sometimes she just wished she could admit the whole 'dating L' thing. "Anyway I do have a son, you know."

"You have a son?" Misa said in wonder. "Well geez, no wonder your hips look a little big." Miya was taken aback by this comment and looked down at her perfectly normal sized hips, feeling slightly self conscious. Miya then turned to the direction of the surveillance camera and made the shape of a gun with her index finger and thumb, pretending that Misa was making her want to shoot herself.

"I don't think Miya is enjoying her time with Misa," L stated obviously to Light as they watched the two girls on surveillance. Light shrugged.

"So what, it's her job right?" Light said unsympathetically.

"Well, you of all people seem to know how annoying Misa can be, so it seems to me like you'd be most sympathetic to her position."

"Hey, you told her to monitor Misa and that's what she's doing," Light said. "She wanted to join the team and this is the work she has to do. Besides if it means getting Misa off my back for a while…"

"You know Light, for someone who claims to be so concerned with women's feelings you sure don't seem all that caring when it comes to the women of the task force."

"How I feel about manipulating Misa's feelings is completely different from my feelings toward Miya and her job as a detective," Light defended. "And you have no room to talk about feelings."

"What?" L said, caught off guard. He turned away from the monitor to see Light, who was looking at him with raised eyebrows. "What are you suggesting Light?"

"It just seems to me that you've had a particular concern for how Miya and her son are doing, and it's a little odd considering it's coming from you. Is there a reason for that?" Matsuda and Aizawa were standing nearby, and this caught Matsuda's attention. He glanced at L from the corner of his eye, but L kept it cool. Matsuda wasn't sure how he was able to hide things so well, and he really wished he hadn't walked into that room last night.

"I wasn't aware of that," L shrugged, turning back to the screen. "I think it's in your imagination." Light stared at him a second more before turning back to the screen. Misa was still begging Miya to tag along on the date.

"Misa there's no reason for me to go," Miya was sighing. "Ryuzaki and I would just be there watching your date. It's not like he and I are particularly close anyway and even though he's got to be there, it doesn't mean I do." Miya was quite pleased with herself. She found her lies to be very convincing. Though the idea of a date with L sounded amazing, she knew it wouldn't really be a date because they would have to act like they weren't interested in each other anyway. Besides, knowing this group, the date would be right there in Misa's living room.

"Oh come on! It will be right here in the living room. You won't even have to go anywhere." Miya sighed and gave in. She knew Misa wasn't going to quit bugging her about it, and it wasn't like sitting next to Ryuzaki for a night was a bad thing.

"Alright," she sighed. "Just tell me when and I'll come. I can't guarantee that my being there will do anything to distract Ryuzaki from you and Light though."

"Oh thank you Miya!" Misa said, hopping up excitedly. "We'll set it for this Saturday! Ah ha! Yay! I'm going to go tell Light!" Miya rolled her eyes at the camera before standing up as well. Seriously, how stupid was Misa? The camera was right there. It's wasn't like Light didn't already know.

* * *

Miya was sitting in her living room on the couch, repeatedly checking the clock. It was getting late, and normally L was here by now. After another fifteen minutes, Miya concluded that he wasn't coming.

'Damn,' she thought to herself, sure that it was because of Matsuda walking in to catch them last night. Miya was mad that Matsuda had caught them, but it wasn't like it was Light. As long as he was chained to the bed and Matsuda didn't spill his guts, there was no harm in L coming back. Mr. Yagami was too many floors away to see them and Aizawa was at his own home during the night. Miya was about to give up on him coming and talk to him about it tomorrow, when she realized that there would not be a time to tell him. These nights were their only time alone, and Miya was not about to give up on them just because darn Matsuda walked in.

Standing up, she headed for the door. She was wearing her baggy pajamas with a print of sushi on them, but she didn't care. No one would be in the hall anyway. Her plan was to sneakily get over to L and Light's room without anyone noticing and get him to come back with her, all the while without waking Light up. And if Light did wake up, she planned on making up the excuse that Noah had lost his toy. Hopefully it wouldn't come down to that.

However, her plan changed about halfway down the hall of her floor when, who else, Matsuda came strolling by in his pajamas.

"Miya?" he said quickly. "What are you doing?"

"Um…" Miya fumbled, forgetting her plan. "I was…"

"Oh no, you're not going to see Ryuzaki again are you?" Matsuda asked, looking alarmed. "Oh geez, I keep walking in on this kind of thing! I don't want to know about this! It's too distracting!" Miya stood by until he was calm again and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Matsuda," she said, looking him in the eyes. "Please don't do this. You can handle this secret."

"I can?" Matsuda asked, completely unsure. "I mean, I really don't want to blow the secret or anything…"

"Then don't," Miya said firmly, cutting him off. "Just forget you ever saw me and Ryuzaki yesterday and don't think about it anymore."

"I'll try," Matsuda sighed. Miya patted his shoulders and released him.

"Good, now off to bed!" she commanded, pointing him down the hallway. He nodded and shook his head, shaking the knowledge away. Miya watched him until he was gone from sight and then continued on her tiptoes toward L's room. She hesitated in front of it, unsure of how to approach. She decided on just not knocking, because if Light was asleep that was sure to wake him up. She opened the door slowly and poked her head in to see a small sitting area that led off to another room. The coast was clear, and so she tiptoed across the room toward the open door on the other side. When she poked her head in, she saw Light sleeping on the bed, L sitting in a nearby chair. He was observing Light, but looked up at the sound of a soft footstep.

"Miya," he whispered almost inaudibly. She waved him over, and he shook his head.

"Come here!" she mouthed, pointing to the spot beside her. L stared at her for a moment before digging in his pocket and pulling out a key. He quickly unlocked the cuff around his wrist and hooked it to the bed, securing Light's place until he returned. He then quietly crossed the room and followed Miya to the living area, closing the door behind him.

"What are you thinking coming here?" he demanded. He looked a bit upset, and Miya instantly regretted her decision to come.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "It's just, when you didn't come to my room…"

"I think after yesterday it would be a bad idea," L said. "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned, and Miya grabbed his wrist.

"Geez, what did I do to piss you off so bad?" she wondered as he turned back around to face her.

"Miya, it was very unwise of you to come here," he said. "What if Light had woken up? This relationship is proving to be a distraction for more than just us. Now Matsuda knows, and he very well could tell others."

"He won't," Miya insisted. "I talked to him. It's okay."

"For now," L said. "You just…you shouldn't have come to see me like this."

"Fine," Miya said, dropping his wrist. "Sorry to bother you." She turned away from him and stormed out of the room. L stood awkwardly in the living room before cursing to himself and following her trail. Miya reached her living room and was just about to get some much needed ice cream when L stepped in after her.

"Miya," he said. "I didn't mean to upset you." Miya slammed the fridge shut and turned to face him.

"Really?" she said, raising an eyebrow. L found himself very scared. "Because you pretty much implied just now that you don't want to see me anymore."

"I did not," L defended. "I was just saying we need to be more careful. The nightly visits may need to come to an end."

"Then we come to an end, L!" Miya snapped. "I can't see you at all during the day and if you cut out nights like this then there is no time! Do you want to see me or not?"

"Yes, I find that I like seeing you but…"

"Then you have to take risks, L," she said sternly. "It's not going to be easy no matter which way you cut it, so please can you just forget the Matsuda incident and spend some freaking time with me?!" L just stood there, and Miya groaned.

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head and heading to her bedroom. "Like you said, I'll just see you tomorrow." She stomped into her room and turned out the light, sitting down on her bed with her arms crossed after yanking the blanket over herself. She looked over to the doorway to see L standing there and she rolled her eyes. "L, just let it go for tonight, okay?" she pleaded. Instead L walked into the room and hung his head.

"I'm sorry…" he said in a truly pitiful voice. Miya sighed and turned the light back on.

"I just don't like it when you flip back and forth like this," she told him. "You either can handle a relationship with the case or you can't, and you need to decide if it's something you want. If _I'm_ something that you want."

"Yes you are," L admitted. "It's not easy. I see that. I can handle it."

"You sure?" she asked. "Because I'm not going to chase after you next time."

"I'm sure," L said. He eyed her bed expectantly and Miya sighed, pulling back on the covers to make a spot for him.

"Get in," she said, patting the bed. L smiled slightly and headed over, sliding in beside her. She was quite determined to ignore him for a few seconds, but that plan failed quickly as she scooted closer to him and snuggled into his chest. "You know what you can do to make it up to me?" she said after a moment. "You could tell me your real name."

"Hmm maybe," L replied. "But maybe not today." Miya rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Fine…but at least tell me something new about you."

"Like what?" L wondered. Miya thought for a moment before replying.

"I don't know, like, where did you grow up? Where are your parents?"

"Watari raised me," L replied. Miya wasn't aware of this, and she sat up slightly to see him.

"Really?" she wondered.

"Yes," L answered. "The place I grew up in was called Wammy's House. Watari ran it and its purpose was to house slightly different, gifted children, well orphans, like myself, I suppose. It still exists."

"Really?" Miya asked, crossing her arms over his chest and resting her chin on them so she could see his face as he spoke. "Well, who's there now?"

"A line of my successors," L replied. Miya's eyebrows furrowed as she took in his response.

"Your…successors?"

"Yes," L answered. "In the event of my death one of them would take over." Miya blinked as he continued. "Near and Mello are the names of the two most likely to overtake my position," he finished casually.

"How can you talk about it so casually?" she wondered. "You would have to die…"

"Well, I don't want to die, obviously, but I am working on a risky investigation, and I've quite possibly handcuffed myself to the real Kira."

"Okay and now for a pleasant subject change…" Miya said quickly.

"Well, where did you grow up?" L wondered. "You mentioned when we met that you were adopted." Miya raised her eyebrows in wonder.

"Wow, you actually remember that?" she said. "And here I thought you weren't listening that day."

"Your mother is American and your father is Japanese," he recalled easily. Miya was impressed.

"Wow, okay well, that's pretty much all there is to tell," she said. "I grew up in that same house you've seen. They adopted me when I was a baby and I can't remember not having them. From what I know, my biological mother gave me up because she couldn't take care of me and she died a few years later."

"I'm sorry," L said sincerely.

"It's okay," Miya said with a slight smile. "I admire her for making such a hard decision, but my parents have always been there for me so I don't feel like I'm missing out. They're helping me get through college, and with Noah. They're amazing, really."

"I wish I had made a better impression on them," L mumbled in thought. Miya shrugged.

"One day they'll realize how great you are. Besides, Noah likes you and his opinion is the only important one to me."

"Has he ever met his father?" L wondered. Miya shook her head.

"No, Toshihiro left without a trace. I haven't even spoken to him since…well you know." L nodded.

"Then it's for the best," he said. "He doesn't know what he's missing out on." Miya was surprised by this conversation. L seemed to really be in the mood to listen and comfort and Miya had even learned a little about him as well. She was really starting to feel like she could tell him most anything.

"His loss is your gain I guess," Miya laughed, leaning up to kiss him. L let his hand slide into her hair as her hands moved to the side of his face. Miya found that L was growing more comfortable lately with being close, though he still didn't initiate any contact. He would hint for a kiss, but never lean in for one himself. Maybe that would change with time, but for now, Miya was just happy that L would kiss her back.

"Hmm, and to think you almost didn't come," Miya said, shaking her head in mock disappointment once they pulled apart. "You'd be all alone, handcuffed to Light."

"You made your point," L said. Miya laughed and laid her head on his chest, taking comfort in the sound of his beating heart.

"So I haven't asked in a while," Miya sighed as her eyes closed. "What's the percentage of you falling for me now?"

"No percentage," L replied. "The falling part has already been completed. You'll be happy to know you hit a hundred percent long before that happened."

"A+ for me," she said sleepily, smiling slightly. She felt L's arm slide around her as she drifted off to sleep.


	16. Lead

**Chapter 16: Lead**

Miya dragged her feet into headquarters the next day. It was the day of the date, and Miya had decided that she wasn't looking forward to it. Sure, being near L would be nice, but then it's not like they would be doing anything but watching Misa and Light anyway. Plus the whole task force would be looking on through surveillance, so that kinda killed any glimmer of a mood anyway.

"Oh Miya!" Misa giggled excitedly when the brunette emerged in the room where the detectives sat, gathered around the monitors. She was obviously annoying and distracting everyone in the room from their work, and Miya could see in L's face what was coming. Oh he was so gonna pay for this later…

"Miya, could you please take Misa from the room? Light has a lot of work to do, along with the rest of the detectives." Miya glared at him for a moment and he smiled reassuringly.

"Yeah….sure….come on Misa…" she grumbled.

"Oh I know," Misa said, jogging over to her and grabbing her hand. "I'll fix you up for the date tonight. I mean, I know you and Ryuzaki aren't dating or anything but that doesn't mean you have to look like such a mom." Miya shot the whole team an evil glare as Misa dragged her from the room.

"I'll do your hair, and your make-up," Misa was going on. "And we'll pick out an outfit for you. I have tons in my closet. I mean you might have to squeeze into them or something but we'll figure it out." Miya thought a moment about Misa's wardrobe; short skirts, corsets, tank tops that cut off above the belly button…

"Um yeah, Misa, that's okay. I was just going to wear this," Miya shrugged down at the regular pair of jeans she was wearing and pink blouse. Misa's smile faded slightly.

"Yeah we'll see," she said. Miya groaned. She was definitely not going to let Misa give her a makeover.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm letting you give me a makeover…" Miya grumbled under her breath as Misa finished up whatever she was doing to her eyes. She was sitting awkwardly in an extremely short black dress that hugged her curves, tying up in the back like a corset before poofing off her hips. Somehow Misa had forced her into the thing before Miya could escape. After a final touch of blush, Misa stepped back and clapped her hands.

"Oh Miya, you look so cute! So young!"

"I'm nineteen…" Miya reminded. Apparently having a child automatically made you a middle-aged woman with big hips and no style.

"Whatever," Misa said with a wave of her hand. She glanced behind her at the clock and gasped. "Oh my gosh! It's almost six!" Miya's head snapped up at this comment. Six? That was when the date was! Miya about passed out right there at the thought of going into the date looking like this! She turned around to the mirror and gasped. Not only were her eyes done up dramatically with smoky colors, but her hair was curled and set with a black headband.

"Great! Let's go," Misa said, pulling Miya's hand. She stubbornly resisted, and was quite willing to put up a fight. Miya had been planning on going home and showering before the date, but now there was no time, especially with Misa dragging her like this. Miya really didn't want L to see her like this, despite the fact that she really did look quite pretty.

"No…Misa…"

"Please what does it matter?" Misa said, continuing to drag her out the door. "It's not like you care what Ryuzaki and Light think of you, right?" Damn, well, that was it. The end of her excuses. She wasn't sure how to play it off now without hinting at her feelings for Ryuzaki. Sure, Misa wasn't exactly the brightest girl on the planet, but with Miya's luck she would somehow see through her and realize how much she loved L.

"You're right," Miya said casually, ending the struggle and walking beside Misa. She figured it was best to just go with the flow, no matter how awful it might be.

* * *

"Gotta love this part of the job, huh?" Aizawa sighed, turning on the monitor to see Misa and Miya walking into the model's living room. The team really had nothing to do at the moment, and so they were stuck with surveillance. They all sighed and fixed their eyes on the screen, ready for boredom, when finally they all seemed to take in Miya's appearance at once. There was a gasp, a 'huh,' and a 'whoa'.

"Looks like Miss Amane got her hands on Miss Yamagata, huh?" Mr. Yagami said with a chuckle. Aizawa agreed, and Matsuda started to sweat.

'How could she dress like that when she knows Ryuzaki's coming?!' Matsuda thought to himself. 'She looks amazing! I don't know how Ryuzaki's going to react to this one…' He didn't have to wait long, however, as Light appeared, L trailing behind him. Light barely seemed to notice the change in Miya's appearance, but L sure did. His eyes widened just the slightest bit more upon seeing her, and it was clear that Miya was attempting to hide a blush.

"Light!" Misa said excitedly, running up to him and throwing her arms around him. L just stood there, still looking at Miya, who was now looking to Misa in an attempt to distract herself from L's stare.

'He's making it so obvious!' Matsuda thought, glancing out of the corner of his eye toward the other detectives, who seemed unaware of anything unusual. 'Wow Ryuzaki really needs to learn to control his emotions for Miya if he wants it to stay a secret.' Matsuda was definitely over thinking it, no doubt because he had a desperate fear that he would accidentally reveal the secret and L would come after him and kick his butt. He must have forgotten that Ryuzaki stared at most everything, and therefore it was not unusual that he was staring at Miya now.

"Okay, let's all sit down!" Misa said, pulling Light by the hand toward the couch. "I made us tea!" She sat beside him and wasted no time scooting next to him.

"You didn't make tea…" Miya pointed out, taking the couch across from her. L did the same, stretching the handcuff across the table before pulling his knees to his chest.

"Oh well, um…will you make some?" the blonde asked Miya quickly before turning her full attention back to Light and starting a ramble about her photo shoot tomorrow. Miya sighed and stood up, heading to the kitchen. She came back with a tray that held a teapot, cups, and of course sugar for L. She rested it on the coffee table and was unsurprised to see Misa totally ignore it. L, on the other hand, leaned forward and took a cup, filling it with sugar and then adding a bit of tea.

"Thank you Miya. It's very good," he said after taking a sip. Matsuda felt himself sweating bullets.

'What is he thinking talking to her?!' he thought as he loosened his tie to let some air onto his hot neck. 'Now everyone's going to see how much he likes her!'

"Oh my God," Aizawa began as Matsuda jumped and whipped his head to the side to look at him.

"What? I didn't notice anything!" Matsuda said quickly. Aizawa and Mr. Yagami eyed him curiously.

"I was going to say 'oh my God, how long can Misa talk?'" Aizawa clarified. "But now I'm going to ask what the heck is wrong with you?"

"What? Nothing!" Matsuda defended quickly, looking back to the screen. Mr. Yagami shook his head.

"The boy must have gotten into Ryuzaki's sugar stash again. You remember how he acted last time he ate too many sweets?"

"Oh yeah…" Aizawa remembered before turning his attention back to the surveillance picture. Matsuda took a deep breath. He needed to control himself. There was absolutely nothing unusual going on and all this panicking was just making him look crazy.

On the screen, Misa was still rambling on about something. Miya was looking extremely uncomfortable in her outfit, and as she crossed her legs she tugged at the end of her skirt in an effort to make it longer. L was staring at the table, but Miya's movement caught his attention and he found his gaze uncontrollably traveling up her bare legs. It wasn't often that she showed that much skin and L couldn't help but notice. Matsuda's eyes about popped out of head as Ryuzaki's head tilted slightly toward Miya.

'He's looking at her…' Matsuda thought on the verge of insanity. 'He is using his eyes to see her leg…oh it's all over…'

"Whoa, I think Ryuzaki was checking Miya out," Aizawa laughed as L's head turned back to the coffee table. "Hmm, maybe he doesn't just think about Kira after all." Aizawa was still chuckling, and Matsuda couldn't think straight in his panic.

"Pervert!" he half shouted. "Geez that Ryuzaki! Always doing that! I saw him checking out Misa Misa once…"

'Yeah that's good,' Matsuda thought. 'Make him seem like a pervert and no one will realize he's actually dating Miya!'

"Well he is a man, Matsuda," Mr. Yagami pointed out, looking at him oddly. "Perfectly normal I'd say."

"Yeah no need to peg the man as a pervert just for noticing a woman or two," Aizawa said casually. "I mean I'm not gonna lie, I've checked Miya out once too. It's not like he's gonna get a girl anyway I mean, don't tell him I said this but he's a little weird. Okay seriously Misa needs to stop talking…"

'That's true…' Matsuda thought, calming a little. 'Ryuzaki is a little weird. How did he end up with her? What's he got that I don't have?' Matsuda examined Ryuzaki carefully. Messed up hair, same old outfit, bags under his eyes! 'It must be because he's smart. But I'm smart, right? I don't get it…' Matsuda was officially over his panic attack. He could keep this secret. Besides, he didn't want the guys to know that even Ryuzaki could get a girl when he couldn't seem to!

* * *

After tea, Miya endured a lovely dinner in which Misa talked nonstop, and then a fantastic dessert that involved more model talk. Finally everyone was set free, and Miya was able to return to her home to change. Noah was with his grandparents for the weekend thankfully, as Miya especially didn't want him to see her dressed so…Misa-like.

Miya had almost reached her dresser when she heard her living room door open and close. She sighed and stepped back out of the bedroom to see L standing there looking at her with a slight smile. Miya groaned.

"Shut up. I know I look ridiculous," she said, hiding her face in her hands.

"Well, I wasn't thinking that exactly…" L said as he placed his thumb to his lips. Miya's mouth fell open slightly.

"Wait, you like this crazy Misa Misa-like outfit?" she clarified. L realized he needed to be careful with his response here.

"Well, I like it on you…" he mumbled. Miya nodded.

"Very well answered," she laughed. "And thank you. But I'm going to go change now."

"Really?" L wondered. "I mean, no need to get all dressed up for me."

"Well it would be dressed down technically," Miya said. "This is kind of dressed up don't you agree?" She motioned down at her outfit.

"Well, whatever you think is best," L shrugged, staring at her. Miya looked back with narrowed eyes.

"You just don't want me to change," she accused with a slight grin. L didn't reply and Miya skipped toward him. "Well, I guess I can leave it on for a bit. I mean Noah's not here so…"

"Noah's gone?" L wondered, cutting her off.

"Yup, off with the grandparents," Miya said, looking around the room. "I've got the whole place to myself…" She laughed slightly as she slid her arms around L's neck and kissed him gently.

"Did you have fun on our date?" she wondered as she pulled back so she could see his face.

"Hmm, yes Misa's topics of conversation are fascinating," L said seriously. Miya chuckled slightly.

"Good thing I know you enough to understand your sarcasm. You don't exactly give it away with your face."

"Really?" L wondered. "Hmm and here I was sure I was communicating a sarcastic expression."

"Okay, now I'm not so sure if you're being sarcastic or just being L," she shrugged. "Which reminds me, L, what is your real name?"

"I'll tell you one day," he replied simply. Miya leaned up and pressed her lips to his, drawing him in closer to her. After a moment, she pulled back.

"Now do I get to know your name?"

"Don't worry, I have the full intention of telling you one-" Miya leaned back into him, breaking his sentence off before he was done speaking. She pulled her arms tighter around his neck and slid her hands into his hair, gripping it slightly as her lips parted. Just as L's parted with hers, she pulled away.

"Name?" she breathed.

"If I say no, are you going to stop kissing me?" L wondered in a low voice, his eyes actually closed. Miya could feel his hot breath tickling her lips and she felt herself leaning back toward him as she answered.

"Definitely not…" she managed to say before meeting his lips again. She felt his hands reach her waist as hers fell from his hair to either side of his neck, willing him to come closer. L's hands gripped her sides while she slid a hand to the center of his chest, grabbing a handful of his shirt fabric and stepping backwards toward the couch, pulling him with her. She felt the couch hit the back of her leg and so she grabbed L's shoulders, breaking the kiss just long enough to turn around and push him down so that he was sitting. Miya found his lips again quickly as she fell beside him, pulling him with her slowly as she leaned back into the cushions. L propped his hands on either side of her, his body hovering over hers while her lips moved against his.

"L," Miya finally breathed.

"Yes?" He said in a husky voice.

"I'm gonna go change…" she said, sitting up and therefore causing him to sit up as well.

"Okay," he agreed as she headed quickly to the living room. As much as she hated to leave, she knew that if she didn't, her passion would overtake her thoughts, and that would not be good. At least not yet…

Miya hurried to change into flannel pajamas before poking her head out into the living room.

"L?" she wondered when she saw that he was missing from the couch.

"Yes?" he said, popping up from behind the counter, piece of cake in hand. Miya rolled her eyes.

"I should have known," she laughed as he headed over to her. She noticed he only had one piece and one fork and she pouted.

"No cake for me?"

"Oh, did you want some?" L asked, glancing down at the cake. "It's the last piece." Miya nodded.

"Oh okay," she said. "Then in that case…" she paused for a moment before snatching his fork and stabbing the cake, shoving a huge bite into her mouth. "I'll just have a little then…"

"Hmm or half the cake…" L grumbled, looking down at his once beautiful slice. Miya giggled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the room. They took their normal positions on the bed, L chowing down as Miya scooted over next to him.

"No crumbs," she warned.

"Mmm no problem…" L replied through his full mouth. He then placed the empty plate beside him on the nightstand before placing his arm around Miya, who was already on her way to sleep.

* * *

It had been two months since Light, Misa, and Mr. Yagami had been released from confinement, and it was obvious to the whole force that the case was in a rut, along with Ryuzaki. There had been a number of Kira related killings lately, but no clear suspects unless you counted Light, who at the moment was free from suspicion thanks to the evidence that pointed away from him. L refused to let go of all suspicions however, and his inability to accept that his original deduction may have been wrong was clearly bothering him. So it was a relief to everyone when Light turned away from his computer with what was to be a much needed lead.

"Ryuzaki," he said to the man beside him. "I know you're not feeling up to it but come over here for a second. Take a close look at this." Miya was in the room as well, but she found that Light tended to ignore her as if she wasn't alive. She never really did anything to him, so his reasons for possible dislike were a mystery to her. She couldn't say she really cared though as she leaned over along with L to see what Light was looking at.

"It can't be coincidence," Light began explaining. "All of them were prominent Japanese businessmen; CEO's whose companies are leaders in their respective industries." Miya's eyes widened slightly as she confirmed what Light was pointing out on the screen. "In just over a month, they've all died of heart attacks," Light continued. "As expected, there's been a general downturn in the market with the exception of Yotsuba." Miya furrowed her eyebrows.

"The company?" she wondered.

"Yes," Light said quickly before continuing. "In other words, their deaths have worked in Yotsuba's favor. Looking back, there have been thirteen similar deaths in the past three months. Your thoughts?" He wondered, turning to the detective. "Based on this I can only conclude that Kira is supporting Yotsuba."

"Hmm, could be," L agreed. "But if what you're saying is true, we can assume that punishing criminals is not this Kira's real intent."

"Which means his motives have changed, or at least it seems that way," Miya added.

"Right," Light continued. "Punishing criminals is a diversion for him. It obscures the fact that he's actually killing people for the benefit of his company." Light then turned to L with an almost grin on his face. "Are you feeling more motivated now?" he asked. L didn't reply, but instead turned back to his computer screen. Miya could see from the look on his face, however, that he was relieved to have a new lead. Finally the case seemed to be picking up, and that was just what L needed.


	17. Lesson

A/N: Thanks for the reviews you guys! This is so exciting! Yeah, I decided I'm going to be posting these things like every day of I can because the stories already completely typed, so it's just a matter of posting and you guys reading and reviewing!

In this chapter, L learns a little lesson about sensitivity. Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 17: Lesson**

"Mom, it's fine. I'll come pick him up," Miya insisted as she brushed her hair, the phone held to her ear with her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, we still haven't seen your new house," her mother continued. Miya could hear Noah in the background giggling happily over something. "I really want to drop him off so I can see it."

"Mom, I'm going to be out all day tomorrow and it would really work better for me if I could just swing by and pick him up while I'm running errands," Miya continued to argue. True, there really weren't any errands, but she couldn't have her mom come see the huge high security detective complex she lived in. At least not yet. The excuse for why she was living there hadn't quite popped into her head.

"Alright fine," her mother sighed. "But really sweetheart, I want to see your new house."

"I know mom," she sighed, placing the brush down on the counter and checking her appearance. "You'll be able to soon." Miya hoped that would satisfy her for now, but sooner or later her mom was going to bust down the door.

* * *

Miya was almost to the main area of headquarters when she heard what sounded like a very serious conversation going on.

"They made it quite clear," Mr. Yagami was saying. "If you continue to work with L you'll be fired. That's all there is to it."

"Huh?" Miya wondered out loud, now jogging to the door. She entered the room to see the chief and Mogi facing Matsuda and Aizawa, who looked quite shocked. Light was over by the computers next to Ryuzaki, looking on at the scene. L was the only one who didn't seem concerned, but Miya knew that he was paying more attention than anyone.

"So, then chief you're gonna…" Matsuda trailed off.

"In a few hours I'll no longer be your chief," Mr. Yagami said with a touch of sadness. "However, we all have our own lives, so think it over carefully." Miya furrowed her eyebrows and slowly crept over to where L was, not wanting to interrupt the conversation going on.

"That's true chief," Matsuda agreed. "Especially if you've got a family to support." He was clearly talking about Aizawa, who was starting to look upset on top of surprised. Miya was still a little unclear on the exact situation and she couldn't help but ask.

"What's going on?" she whispered, mostly to L, though it was Light who answered her.

"The police gave in to Kira's bribes," he said back. "NPA members are no longer allowed to work on the case or they'll be fired."

"So they have to choose?" Miya clarified, placing a hand to her chest in concern. Light nodded and tuned back in to listen, as did Miya. However, it was L who spoke next.

"If you want my opinion, you'd be better off as police officers." Everyone gasped and turned to look at him as he continued. "I was alone when I started this case, and although I'm grateful to all of you for staying with me as long as you have, I know that I can do this by myself. I'll be sure to visit you at the department and bring you Kira's head as a reward for all that you've sacrificed."

'Ew, what a gross reward,' Miya couldn't help but think as Light spoke up.

"Ryuzaki, as long as I'm alive you won't be working alone. You have my word on that." He sounded so firm, and Miya was instantly worried. What if they did return to the police force? L would be working side by side with a person who was very possibly Kira! And so would she! But she would never leave L, and so she made her dedication known as well.

"Me too," Miya agreed. "I'm here to stay, no matter what happens." She eyed Light for a moment. She didn't like the idea of a team of three, especially if one of the three was still a suspect, but there was no turning back if that proved to be the case. She was in too deep in more than one way.

"Hmm that's right," L agreed. "I'll have Light working with me until I catch Kira, and Miya as well, so I won't be alone after all. But as I said, I think the rest of you should remain as police officers."

"But when you first contacted us," Mr. Yagami said, looking confused. "You said you would need the help of the police to solve this case."

"That's because the police as an organization were still hoping to arrest Kira," L continued. He held two cherries connected by a stem between his fingers. "They weren't bowing to him. Besides with all due respect there's a big difference between the help of two or three civilians and the police as an organization." He popped the fruit into his mouth and continued talking as he chewed. "As you said, the police have made their position clear. They don't want to catch Kira so let's just leave it at that."

'That makes sense,' Miya thought as she observed everyone's face. 'But still, I don't think everyone would want to just leave the case behind. We're all too caught up in it.' Apparently Mr. Yagami was thinking the same thing.

"Huh, well I suppose what you're saying makes sense," he agreed. "If we're not police officers anymore we won't be of much use to you. However, we're all personally involved in this. All of us have risked our lives to catch Kira. Doesn't that give us the right to decide whether we stay here or return to the police force?"

"Mm, good point," L said, pulling the cherry stems from his mouth. "By all means, please, make your decision." Miya wasn't sure how he could sound so uncaring about this. The idea of losing Aizawa, Matsuda, or Mr. Yagami as a team member was upsetting to her, and she hadn't even been on the case since the beginning. Her thoughts were completely skewed, however, when she noticed the stems in L's fingers. They were tied together in a knot!

'Damn…' Miya sighed in her head. She shook the distraction away, however, and turned to the other detectives to hear their answers.

"But chief wait," Aizawa was saying. "If you quit your job with the police force you'll be unemployed! Even if we do catch Kira, what are you gonna do after that?"

"After that?" Mr. Yagami repeated, cracking what Miya perceived to be a sort of smile. "I hadn't really thought of it. But I suppose after we catch Kira, I'll have to dust of my resume."

"Count me in!" Matsuda shouted enthusiastically. "I'm gonna quit the police and chase Kira too chief! And I still have my job as Misa Misa's manager! Besides, if I stayed on as a police officer, I'd feel like a total loser!" Miya rolled her eyes. Way to be insensitive Matsuda. She and Mr. Yagami were totally on the same page, as the lead officer cut him off sharply.

"Think before you open your mouth Matsuda!" Everyone then turned to see Aizawa, who now had his head hung low. Miya had a very strong urge to give him a hug and comfort him, because she knew he was thinking out of his family's best interest.

"Is there any way I could still keep my job and help you in my spare time?" the defeated detective asked hopefully.

"There isn't," L replied flatly. "If you remain a police officer then please don't come back here." Miya's mouth almost fell open. Was he really being this insensitive to someone who had been helping him for months?

"But you know I won't leak any information!" Aizawa shouted back.

"I won't be sharing any information," L replied, resulting in a number of gasps. "You're free to pursue Kira on your own if you want to but I don't think it's fair to your families to burden them by giving up your livelihood just to continue this. I can't see how that's a good idea." Hmm, so that's what L was thinking?

"It's as Ryuzaki says," Mr. Yagami said. "No one is going to blame you for quitting." Aizawa was clearly overwhelmed with emotions as his shoulders started to shake from his slight sobbing.

"Yeah, right," Matsuda said understandingly. "Well all understand why you've gotta do this."

"But the chief has a family too…" Aizawa managed to point out.

"Our situations are completely different," Mr. Yagami said.

"Yeah Aizawa you should do what's best for your wife and your kids," Miya agreed.

"Damn it…" Aizawa groaned shakily. "To leave now after all we've been through. I said I was prepared to die if that's what it took to catch Kira and I meant it!" His words turned to screams as he continued, and Miya felt tears pushing against her eyes. "What kind of friend would I be to Ukita if I quit now?! I became a detective so I could catch the bad guys, not run away!" Miya jumped slightly at the sound of Watari's voice chiming in over the computer.

"Ryuzaki," he said. "Early on in the investigation, you specifically told me that if a task force member were to lose their job under any circumstances, I should make preparations to ensure that their family's financial future was secure. If you recall, a trust was set aside for that very purpose. I'm a little curious as to why you're withholding this information?" Aizawa looked up in shock, as did Miya. Why would L keep that to himself? She knew damn well he didn't forget it; that wasn't like him.

"This is not the time or place Watari," L snapped.

"I'm sorry…" Watari apologized, buzzing out. Miya was suddenly very unhappy with where this session was going.

"No way," Matsuda said, walking up behind Ryuzaki. "So all this time we had nothing to worry about? I can't believe you did that! There you go Aizawa! Isn't that great news?" Aizawa, on the other hand, did not look relieved.

"Ryuzaki…" he said angrily. "I assume that was some kind of test to determine how committed I was to this task force."

"I-it's not like that Aizawa," Mr. Yagami stuttered, placing his hands up as a symbol to calm down. "Ryuzaki's just not the type to say things directly. You should know that by now."

"Yeah that's right," Matsuda agreed.

"That_ is_ right," Miya said in a stern voice. "But this was something different. You aren't just being indirect, are you?" She felt anger rise up inside her as L replied.

"No. I was testing you," he was now speaking to Aizawa, who was clearly angry, just as Miya now was. "I wanted to see which one you'd choose."

"Ryuzaki!" Mr. Yagami said, shocked.

"Fine then," Aizawa yelled. "If I wasn't sure before, I am now!"

"But Aizawa!" Matsuda protested.

"Let's face it," he continued. "I wasn't able to decide right away like you guys. I was leaning toward going back to the police."

"Come on Aizawa," Matsuda begged. "Don't be so stubborn!" Miya was glaring at L, fuming. How could he do this to Aizawa? Force him to choose!

"No I quit!" Aizawa yelled. "Now I know this for sure. I've always hated Ryuzaki. I hate him and his way of doing things!" He then turned and stormed for the door, leaving everyone standing around.

"That's too bad," L sighed. "Because I like you Aizawa." Aizawa froze at the door and turned around.

"I also hate how you've always gotta have the last word! You insult me, now you say something like that? That's it! I'm outta here!" And with that, Aizawa left the task force.

"Thank you for everything," L managed to say before he left. He didn't even turn around, and Miya wasn't sure if he was sincere or not. And she found she really didn't care. She took a deep breath and headed for the hallway.

"Where are you going Miya?" Matsuda asked, lifting his head to look at her. He looked concerned, and Miya wasn't sure how he managed that emotion on top of everything that had just happened.

"My room," she said. "I don't think I'm fit to work on this case any further."

"What?" L said, turning around. "But a moment ago you said…"

"That was before I realized a requirement for working on this case was putting your family's needs last," she snapped, turning to face him. "Sorry, but if it came down to Noah's security and this case, I'd choose Noah. My family. Just like Aizawa did."

"Miya…" L began.

"I'll be out first thing in the morning, don't worry," she snapped before storming from the hall. L slumped back in his chair as everyone cautiously returned to work. Matsuda shot him a glance, knowing the detective was feeling the hurt now. And L was suddenly feeling very bad about his words. He hadn't meant to suggest to Miya that the case was more important than her own son. But suddenly he wasn't sure what to do to fix things.

* * *

"How are you just sitting there?" Matsuda whispered to Ryuzaki when he had the opportunity. Mr. Yagami, and Mogi were across the room, busy with work for the investigation, and Light was as far away as handcuffs would allow, typing away on the computer. "Miya is upstairs hating you right now. Shouldn't you go talk to her?"

"I intend to," L replied. "But I can't rush off now. Everyone would assume things about Miya and me."

"But…you're dating, so what's it matter?"

"I can't risk Kira knowing about her."

"Okay fine but…I really think you should go see her now. Just some advice to a guy who somehow got lucky."

"Matsuda, please get back to work," L replied flatly. "Obviously you're forgetting a small detail that prohibits my leaving." He jangled his wrist slightly to point out the handcuff.

"So what?" Matsuda said back, finding some type of confidence. "I know you're thinking about talking to her, and she's probably upstairs packing right now! You honestly want her to leave?"

"…no…" L said finally.

"Then go get her!" Matsuda encouraged.

"I agree," Watari added from across the line. L just sat in his chair, staring blankly. How exactly did they suggest he go without dragging Light with him?

"What are you guys talking about?" Light wondered, turning from his computer to look at the group. "Why are you whispering?"

"Oh…hehe…uh, Ryuzaki isn't feeling well! I think he's going to be sick!"

"Huh?" L wondered. "Oh, yeah I feel very sick."

"Great, then I guess we need to go to the bathroom," Light sighed. "I didn't exactly picture spending my day watching you throw up but…"

"No, you can't go with him Light Yagami," Watari's voice chimed in. "I was in the midst of sending some case information I wanted Ryuzaki to look over but now that he's sick, I need you to do it."

"But we're attached…" Light pointed out, holding up his chained wrist.

"Ryuzaki has a key," Watari said. "Quick, unlock yourself and go before you feel worse."

"Yeah, you look a little green," Matsuda added.

"Light will be fine with us watching," Watari added. L sighed and reluctantly unhooked the cuff, looking around for somewhere to hook it. He settled for Matsuda, who found himself hooked to Light in a matter of seconds.

"Just for a few minutes…" L said. Matsuda shot him a look, and L remembered he was supposed to be sick. "Ohhh…." He moaned on the way out. He wasn't sure what to do to add to the sound effect, so he just walked faster, clutching his stomach.

"Where's he going?" Mr. Yagami wondered as L stepped out the door.

"Oh, he had a vegetable or something for lunch," he heard Matsuda explaining as he headed toward the elevator. "Doesn't really agree with him apparently. He looked like he was going to puke right on the desk. I'm betting he'll be gone for a while." L shook his head and stuffed his hands in his pockets. That idiotic Matsuda. But it seemed effective enough, as L was on his way to Miya's room alone…which now had him worried. What would she say? And what was he supposed to say?

He made it to her room and knocked cautiously. When no one replied, he turned the knob and stepped into the living area, looking around for the brunette. He found her in the bedroom, an unpacked suitcase on the bed. She was watching TV, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Go away L," she snapped without looking at him.

"I didn't mean to upset you…" L began. It was all he knew to say. Miya ignored him for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning toward him.

"How could you do that to Aizawa?" she demanded.

"I didn't do anything to him," L replied. "He chose to return to the police and that's that."

"No, you made him think it was either the police or financial insecurity," Miya reminded. "You were testing him to see which he'd choose."

"I was," L admitted.

"Well, what's the point?" Miya snapped. "What does it matter? He wanted to help with the investigation! Why couldn't you have just told him about the trust? That way he could have spared himself that hard decision?"

"Miya, what's this really about?" L wondered. "Is it truly about Aizawa?"

"No, it's actually about me," Miya replied sharply. "Because it seems to me like Aizawa and I are not that different. We both have families to think about, and I'm going to be honest with you, if it had been me in his situation I would have chosen the police in a heartbeat. I wouldn't risk Noah's security even if I wanted to stay on the case."

"I know that," L said.

"Do you?" Miya wondered. "Because I mean that. If I were forced to choose between making sure Noah was secure or working on a case with you, I would choose Noah. You realize this?"

"I do," L said. "Noah is everything to you."

"Then how could you make Aizawa make that decision?" she snapped. "So what if he put his family first? I really can't stick around here L if you expect me to put the case above my own family."

"I never said I expected that," L defended.

"I just think you were being one hundred percent insensitive," Miya clarified. "Aizawa cared deeply for both his family and his work and you forced him to choose. I don't think you really know what that feels like."

"Perhaps not," L thought out loud, placing his finger to his lips in thought.

"You care for me and Noah, right?" Miya asked suddenly.

"Even more than you're aware of, I think," L replied.

"Okay then, if I asked you to drop the case right now for me, would you?" L eyed her curiously.

"Hmm?"

"I'm asking you to drop the Kira investigation," Miya explained. "Let someone else take over. I can't handle it but I don't want to leave without you. Will you come? If you don't I understand, but I won't be able to see you anymore if you choose to stay."

"Miya…I…" L sputtered.

"Well, which do you choose?" she wondered. L sighed for a moment before speaking.

"I understand," he said finally. Miya stood up.

"Do you see how difficult that was? That's what you did to Aizawa today in front of everyone. I know you've never had to make a choice like that before, and I know you've never really had anyone else to worry about besides yourself, but maybe you can start thinking about the factors that weigh on people's lives."

"I'll try," L said.

"Thank you," Miya sighed, sitting back on the bed. "Because you really pissed me off in there, and I was _this_ close to quitting, I'm telling you." She met his eyes to let him know that she was serious.

"I know," L said. "I saw it in your face earlier. I was worried, that much is true, but I'm glad you've chosen to stay."

"Well you were being a smart ass on top of everything else so you're lucky I'm talking to you now," Miya continued.

"A…smart ass…?" L wondered. Miya ignored him as she continued.

"And one more serious thing we need to talk about."

"This is turning into quite the lecture," L mumbled. "What is it?"

"Why did you not tell me you could tie cherry stems into knots with your tongue?" This caught L off guard, and Miya laughed, standing up to grab her empty suitcase and shoving it under the bed.

"Sorry, a fit opportunity to share that information never really came up," L replied. Miya rolled her eyes and pointed to the door.

"Alright now get out of here you jerk before the task force wonders where you went." It then occurred to her that something was missing. "Wait, where's Light? And your handcuffs?"

"Light is currently attached to Matsuda, who along with Watari devised a foolproof escape plan," L said, standing up and heading for the door. "Matsuda has informed everyone that I am throwing up due to eating vegetables."

"Very believable," Miya nodded. L stopped at the door and turned to face her.

"I _am_ sorry," he said sincerely.

"It's okay," Miya sighed. "I think you understand a little better now." L nodded and headed from the room, now with a slightly new perspective on things.


	18. Idiot

A/N: I couldn't wait until tomorrow to get this up...seriously, I love the next chapter and I want you guys to read it right away so I'm posting this one now and then the next one tomorrow, before I leave for school. Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 18: Idiot**

About an hour later, Miya finally made her way back downstairs to where the other task force members were. She wasn't exactly sure what she would tell them to explain her sudden reappearance on the case, but she figured she'd make it up as she went along.

She was relieved, though, that she didn't have to come up with the reason of why she was staying when she made such a big deal about leaving, because it seemed Light had found something important.

"I just found another one," Light said, looking at his computer screen. "A general manager of a bank, Yotsuba's biggest competitor. On September 7th, he slipped, fell from the front steps of his house and died instantly."

"September the 7th was a Friday, wasn't it?" Mr. Yagami asked. He was looking over several papers and he appeared to have stumbled upon something very important. Miya made to stand next to L as Mr. Yagami continued speaking. Matsuda noticed this and tried so hard not to grin, knowing it was all thanks to him. Oh yeah, he was good! "After going over this again, I noticed something. All the deaths which are beneficial to Yotsuba are concentrated around the weekends."

This brought Matsuda back to the task at hand. "Huh? On the weekends?"

"With the first few victims, the time of death appears to have been random. More recently, they all take place between Friday night and Saturday afternoon."

Matsuda stared up at Mr. Yagami in admiration. "I'm amazed that you even noticed that chief."

"Matsuda, I thought I told you not to call me chief!" He glared at the young man.

Matsuda smiled. "I'm sorry, but you'll always be the chief to me." Miya smiled slightly. It was nice to see how much respect Matsuda held for Mr. Yagami, whom she was certain had a hard time leaving the title of chief behind no matter how well he hid it.

"This is a really important clue, Dad. Nice work," Light said. He was looking proudly at his father, just like Matsuda had. Miya didn't find this as sweet, but she ignored her thoughts as she nodded.

"Yeah, why didn't any of us notice that by now?"

"Well, you know I can't let myself fall behind you, Ryuzaki, and Miya. After all, the last thing I want is to be dead weight."

"…dead weight?" Matsuda asked. No one was listening to him though.

L faced the computer screen and placed his finger to his lips in thought, like he usually did. "Is Kira someone from Yotsuba or is Kira simply using Yotsuba? I haven't figured that out yet but we'll proceed under the assumption that this is Kira's doing. We will focus on Yotsuba."

Mogi came in, holding an extremely large stack of papers. "This is all of the Yotsuba Group's employees. Here."

"Thank you very much," L said, grabbing the stack and bringing it closer to himself.

Light looked surprised. "That's 300,000 people! How did you put this all together so quickly? That's amazing Mogi!" Miya was in shock too, partly because of the amount of work he had done and partly because he had carried that stack of papers without dropping the sheets everywhere like Miya was sure she would have done.

"He's been incredibly efficient from the start," L said simply.

"Ryuzaki," Matsuda stood up abruptly. "Please tell me, is there anything I can do to help with the investigation? Besides the manager thing."

L didn't move his head but looked at him from the corner of his eye. "So, you really wanna be useful?"

"Yes!" Matsuda was determined now.

"Then...could you give me another cup of coffee?"

Matsuda looked surprised. He hadn't been expecting that at all and felt disappointed. Miya was feeling a little bad for him, but L's voice caught her attention.

"And for our guests over there as well," L continued pointing in the direction of two people sitting on the couch. Miya's eyebrows furrowed. How long had those two been there and why had no one noticed them before?

"Who are they?" Matsuda asked.

"Hold on a sec," Light said. "Who let them in?"

"Those two are the newest members of the task force," L said easily.

A man with blonde hair faced them all. He looked to be in his forties and seemed very friendly. "The name's Aiber. I'm a conman. How's it going?"

"Are you kidding me?" Miya said unexpectedly. It was a rather loud comment and the others looked at her. She instantly blushed. "I'm sorry...did I just say that out loud…?" She hadn't meant to react so dramatically, but a conman? That was unexpected…

"I'm Weddy," the other person introduced. She was a beautiful woman with blonde hair that reached her shoulders. The fancy clothing she sported only added to her good looks, and Miya felt jealous again. What was it with these glamorous people always showing up? "And I'm a thief by trade." Miya felt surprised again, but she controlled herself and kept quiet this time. A conman and a thief? What on earth was going on? She apparently wasn't the only one wondering, as Mr. Yagami was clearly unsatisfied with these people as he spoke.

"Oh, a conman and a thief."

"That's right," L said getting up from his chair. "Aiber is a life-long conman. His unparalleled social skills allow him to befriend and gain the trust of any target. We will use him for infiltration. As for Wedy, she's a thief who specializes in cracking high-end security systems. As proof of that, she was able to enter the building without setting off a single alarm."

"Wow, that's amazing," Miya said thoughtfully. Amazing, but also creepy. She really hoped that this Wedy woman wouldn't be so sneaky as to just appear out of nowhere on a regular basis. That was sure to catch people by surprise, and there were enough heart attacks going on with Kira on the loose.

"You expect us to work with criminals?" Mr. Yagami asked.

"Yes, that is correct. However, these two have never once been caught, so it's unlikely they'll be killed by Kira. Think of them as professionals of the Underworld."

Light faced L. "I understand. To investigate Yotsuba, we're gonna need the help of people like this. Let's all do our part and make this happen, okay?"

"Yeah!" Matsuda agreed enthusiastically. Miya accepted this like a normal person while Mr. Yagami was reluctant in his agreement. But it was decided. These two were the new members of the task force.

* * *

The next day, Miya paced around the living room as Noah sat on the couch, attempting to watch TV as he clutched onto Panda.

"Mommy, I can't see when you walk in front of the TV."

Miya stopped short. "Oh, I'm sorry sweetie." She then moved from in front of the television and sat next to him on the couch. "I just don't know what's taking Matsuda so long. He told me he was going to watch you today."

"If he doesn't come, does that mean I get to be with the detectives today?" Noah asked hopefully.

Miya eyed him. "I'm not sure if that's the best idea. I think you're too young to see what's going on." Noah was aware that his mother was involved with a group of detectives. In fact, he was ecstatic about it. And though there had been light talk of catching Kira around him, he didn't know that they were seriously investigating one of the most dangerous criminals in recent history, and Miya was hoping to keep it that way if at all possible.

"Pwease mommy? I'll be good! I won't get in the way!" He was looking at her with his big puppy dog eyes, and Miya sighed as she thought this over. Matsuda hadn't shown up to watch Noah like he promised and Miya really did want to go downstairs to see if they had discovered anything else. They hadn't been watching anything too scary that would frighten Noah and she figured he wouldn't understand any of the conversations going on anyway, so, against her better judgment, Miya agreed and they both made their way downstairs. Noah brought his small blue backpack full of toys to entertain him so Miya would be allowed to work.

When they were finally downstairs, the first thing Miya noticed was that Light and L were having a sort of staring contest. She wasn't exactly sure what that was about, and she found herself vaguely wishing they would fight again so Miya could see L unleash his unexpected fighting skills again. However Miya figured this was unlikely so she instructed Noah to sit on the couch as she went to investigate.

"What's wrong?" L asked Light. "You've been staring at me for the last two minutes. Wait, lemme guess. You must be annoyed because I'm the only one eating cake at the moment, am I right?" Miya couldn't help but think this was probably the worst deduction L had ever made, as Light clearly wasn't in envy of cake.

Light was brought back into reality as he answered, "Uh, no that's not it."

"Here," L offered holding out his plate of cake to Light. Miya rolled her eyes at his random bought of cluelessness as Light continued.

"Really. Don't worry about it." Miya wondered what he could have been thinking about as she opened her mouth to tell L about Noah and Matsuda. However, Watari interrupted before she'd even gotten a word out.

"Ryuzaki."

"Yes, what is it?" L asked, facing the computer.

"Detective Eraldo Coil has just received a private request to investigate and reveal the identity of L."

Mr. Yagami and Mogi joined in on the conversation now. "Isn't Eraldo Coil supposed to be the second greatest detective in the world? After L himself? Who on earth would send such a request?"

Watari continued. "The man who sought out Coil's services is Masaoto Kita. The head of the rights and planning department of the Yotsuba Group headquarters in Tokyo."

"So it is Yotsuba." Mr. Yagami confirmed.

"We know that Yotsuba must be linked to Kira," Light said in thought. "If they're trying to find out L's identity it's probably because they want to kill him and need that information to do it." Miya didn't like where this conversation had gone and she found herself growing worried.

"This isn't good," Mr. Yagami interrupted. "We're already shorthanded enough as it is. And now we have to worry about Coil too."

"It's quite alright," L said. He didn't seem at all worried. "The detective known as Eraldo Coil is me. It's quite simple really. Three of the greatest detectives in the world: L, Coil and Denueve. They're all actually me. It's been my experience that people who try to find me usually fall for this." Miya was extremely surprised by this information as her worry subsided. L had never told her that before, and she was suddenly slightly overwhelmed by the fact that she was dating not only the world's greatest detective, but the world's second and third greatest detectives as well. She was suddenly less overwhelmed, however, when the adorable weirdo that was L lifted a strawberry from his plate and handed it over to Mogi. "I'll give you this strawberry if you can keep it a secret, okay?" Miya cracked a slight smile, which quickly faded into confusion as Mogi took the fruit and placed it in his…pocket? Miya wasn't sure what that was about, but she sure hoped he didn't sit on it later.

"I'm impressed as always, Ryuzaki," Light said.

"I wanna strawberry, Mr. Panda!" Noah said running up to the detective. "I can keep it a secret too!" Yeah so much for Noah not listening to their conversations…

L wheeled around in his chair to look down at the young boy. "Noah, what are you doing here?" He then looked up at Miya, wanting to know the reason.

Miya placed her hands on her hips. "Matsuda promised me he'd watch Noah today! He's MIA and I wanted to see what was going on but I couldn't leave Noah by himself. He promised he'd be good, right?" She added, turning to the small boy.

"Right!" Noah smiled a big toothy grin and looked up at Ryuzaki innocently. "Mr. Panda, can I have some cake and strawberries, pwease?"

"I'll have Watari bring you some," L started, apparently alright with the fact that Noah was there. He then glanced up at Miya, "That is, if it's alright with your mother."

"Mommy?!"

Miya sighed. "I guess." Noah clapped happily as she continued, "So where is Matsuda?"

"He's out being Misa's manager right now," Light answered. "She's filming a movie."

"What? But he promised me he'd watch Noah! How can he be out with Misa right now?" She crossed her arms in front of her in a huff. "He's so irresponsible…"

* * *

A few hours later, L had come up with a plan that was now being explained to the group.

"Alright," Aiber said. "I just have to get close to him, right?" He was looking at a picture of the Yotsuba manager on L's laptop. "Leave it to me."

"And you want me to make sure we're able to breach the security and override the surveillance cameras of the Yotsuba Group's head office," Weddy confirmed. "Is that all?"

"Yes," L told them. "At this point, it's safe to assume that Kira and the Yotsuba Group are connected in some way. We're going to investigate Yotsuba to determine who holds Kira's power and if there is more than one person who possess this ability. We need a clear understanding quickly. We cannot let anyone from Yotsuba figure out that we are investigating them. Please realize that if they do notice, it means we won't be able to catch Kira. Please be sure not to act impulsively out of panic or haste. And don't take matters into your own hands."

"Ryuzaki," Watari chimed in.

"Yes. What is it?"

"I have just received an emergency signal from Matsuda's belt," Watari informed him.

"Aw, where is he?" L asked, growing more annoyed by the second.

"It seems that it's coming from the head office of the Yotsuba group."

L turned to everyone in the room. "Disregard everything I just said. I'll need to rethink our strategy. Matsuda, you idiot!"

"Well, what are we gonna do about Matsuda?" Miya asked curiously, slightly worried. "I hope he's not in serious trouble."

"If he's been caught, which is the most likely reason why he sent us a signal, then he's in serious trouble." He pulled out his cell phone and began dialing a number.

"Yo Matsui!" L said into the phone. He said it lazily and Miya had to hold in a laugh despite the real seriousness of the situation. "Yeah, it's me Azahi!" Miya mused on how he managed to blurt out these false names so quickly. "It's been a while buddy!" L paused a moment to let Matsuda respond before saying, "It doesn't sound like you're out right now. Don't tell me you're home already. So you by yourself?"

L listened for a second before pulling it away from his ear and covering the speaker. "He's not with Misa Amane right now. Matsuda must be on his own." He put the phone back to his ear. "So do you wanna like, go out drinking tonight?"

Matsuda responded to L. "Aw, what's the matter?" L said. "Don't tell me your wallet is _in trouble_ again." Miya was impressed by how easily L was communicating with Matsuda. She sure hoped he was picking up on the hints.

L covered the speaker again and faced everyone in the room. "Matsuda's saying he's in big trouble." He put the phone back to his ear. "Aw, that's too bad. Guess I'll drag you out some other time, alright? See ya buddy!" After L hung up the phone, Light took his out and dialed a number as well.

"Misa's cell phone is on voicemail right now. I left her a message and told her to get back to me as soon as she can."

"What are you planning to do, Ryuzaki?" Mr. Yagami asked L.

"Well, we have to consider that if Matsuda dies, our suspicions of the Yotsuba Group would be confirmed. Let's just watch the situation for the time being."

"Don't be so heartless, Ryuzaki!" Miya scolded. "I hope Matsuda's okay…"

* * *

A couple of hours later, Light's cell phone rang. "Misa? Misa, you're not with Matsuda at the moment are you?"

Misa said something to Light. There was a moment of silence as everyone waited eagerly for any news on Matsuda. What Light said was surprising to everyone.

"Misa's just received a call from Matsuda."

"Tell her to hold her phone so that we can listen in as well," L commanded.

Misa did what she was told and soon everyone could hear Matsuda's voice.

"Misa Misa, when you're finished filming, please come over to the Yotsuba Group head office! It's still tentative but there's a chance you may be able to appear in Yotsuba's commercials. We're working it out now."

"What?! For real?" Misa's excited voice said. "You're amazing Matsu! So that's what you've been up to all this time! Don't worry, we're wrapping up soon."

"Great! It's just a short trip by taxi!"

L suddenly grabbed onto Light's sleeve, catching his attention. "Listen to me Light. There is a chance that we may be able to save Matsuda, but we won't be able to do it without Misa's help. She'll listen to you and do anything you say, won't she?" Miya turned her attention to Light, and for once she found herself hoping he would use Misa's adoration of him for their advantage. It wasn't exactly noble, but if that's what was needed to get Matsuda out of trouble, then so be it.

Thankfully, Light followed L's instruction and told Misa everything that she needed to do. It was an unusual plan, but since L thought of it, Miya was certain that it would most likely work.

"Miya, I have a special mission for you to do as well," L said. "I'm not sure we can trust Misa entirely, so I want you to be there."

Miya nodded. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

* * *

Miya mentally cursed as she tried to pull her yellow mini-skirt farther down. L had asked her to be one of the girls from Misa's agency and keep an eye on Matsuda and Misa. The worst part was that she knew L and the others were watching as well. Her yellow top wasn't any better than the skirt, showing plenty of cleavage and her bare stomach. Misa had curled her hair and placed a yellow head band in it, completing the look.

"Isn't this exciting, Miya?" Misa asked cheerfully. "And you look cute in that outfit!"

"Yeah, thanks…" Miya grumbled. Soon, the "guests of honor", the men of the Yotsuba Group, arrived and Miya unfortunately realized that it was show time.

"Good evening!" the girls from the agency, including Miya, exclaimed. "We're very pleased to meet you!"

"Tonight, I'll be entertaining you as out special guests, along with the girls from the agency," Misa said with a big smile on her face. Miya wondered why on earth Misa enjoyed this sort of thing. The blonde was totally at ease while Miya only grew more and more uncomfortable.

The men argued quietly for a moment and Miya wasn't sure that this plan was going to work. Then, one man said, "Let's just go with it. I'm gonna enjoy myself."

"Well well," L said, watching the party on his surveillance screen with the others. "Misa's pretty good at this sort of thing."

"Doesn't look like Miya's enjoying herself," Mr. Yagami commented. One of the men had his arm around Miya's shoulders. L knew it was all for the investigation, but he felt a stab of what he assumed was jealousy. He had never really experienced that emotion before, but thankfully it quickly subsided, as Miya clearly wasn't interested. She smiled at the man beside her, but when he kept trying to touch her leg, she would roll her eyes and push him away.

"Excuse me guys," Matsuda announced. "I gotta go to the bathroom." No one really paid attention to him, not really caring to acknowledge the bathroom newsflash, but Miya knew he was just going to talk to L on the phone. She understood that the only way to get Matsuda out of this mess was to fake his death. That sounded dangerous and she wasn't sure exactly how Matsuda was going to pull it off.

After a few minutes, Matsuda kicked open the door forcefully. Some girls screamed in surprise while Miya jumped at the sound, turning her head to see Matsuda staggering back into the room.

"I am so drunk!" he announced. His words were slurred and he walked over to the back door. "Hi everyone! Everyone having fun? Good, that's great!" He opened the door and faced everyone with a goofy grin on his face. "Now everyone! The moment you've all been waiting for! The Taro Matsui show!" Miya was glad everyone was buying the whole 'went to the bathroom sober, came out drunk' thing so easily, and her jaw tightened as she focused on Matsuda, knowing now was the moment of truth. This was either going to work, or they were about to have a problem on their hands.

"Hey!" The man holding onto Miya said. He let go of her and got closer to Matsuda. "What are you doing?"

"Yay! You can do it! Go Matsu!" Misa cheered. Miya rolled her eyes. Now was not the time to be stupid…

"Alright, here we go," Matsuda said. He got on the ledge of the balcony and did a handstand.

"Hey! You're drunk! That's way too dangerous!"

"Don't worry. I'm just fine. I do this all the time," Matsuda said. Suddenly, he lost his balance and fell right off the balcony. A thud could her heard and everyone started freaking out. Miya tried not to get nervous along with them but she could feel her heart pounding against her chest. It was all part of the plan, but this was a plan that could easily go wrong.

"Look everyone," Misa said, trying to calm everyone down. "I think you should all just leave this for us to take care of and go home. Don't worry, we will handle it. Just don't forget about me for your next campaign, okay?" Why not squeeze in a little advertising in the midst of a crisis situation? The men didn't even notice, however, deciding it was definitely the best time to leave as they high-tailed it out of there.

"I hope Matsuda's okay," Miya said. Her phone began ringing. "Hello?"

"Just wanted to let you know, the idiot's fine." It was L on the line. Clearly he knew she would be worrying about it, and Miya sighed in relief.

"That's good. I'll be back at headquarters soon."


	19. Lawliet

A/N: Yeah, I like this chapter. We hope you will too. Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 19: Lawliet**

Miya walked into her apartment, surprisingly not tired after what had been a very long day. She sighed and looked down at what was yet another Misa inspired outfit she was wearing. The model outfit she'd been required to sport for her undercover work was cute, with the heart shaped cutout at the chest of the short yellow dress, but it was also very much not Miya's style. So she quickly headed to her room and changed into much better baggy pajamas and a matching tank top. She was just walking out of the bedroom when L appeared.

"Where's your outfit?" he wondered when he saw that she had already changed from pajamas.

"Well you didn't think I'd leave it on just for you did you?" Miya laughed. "You'll just have to get up here faster next time."

"Unfortunately that decision is not up to me," L explained, heading to the couch and perching himself on it. "It all depends on how quickly Light falls asleep. I suppose we're lucky as well that he's a relatively heavy sleeper."

"I guess that's true," Miya shrugged, not really wanting to admit that maybe there was at least one good thing about Light. Whether or not he was Kira, Miya had decided that she really didn't like him. He barely ever talked to her, and there was just something aggravating about him.

"I should probably pick Noah up," Miya said, sitting down beside him on the couch. "I don't want my parents to think I'm pushing him off on them all the time."

"It's past ten," L pointed out. "He's asleep by now."

"Yeah," Miya sighed, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. "Another night I don't tuck him in. I'm such a bad mom."

"Miya how many times must I tell you that you are not a bad mother?" L sighed. Miya chuckled and turned her head slightly to kiss his shoulder before hopping up.

"I guess I'll just take your word for it," she replied, heading to her bedroom. L followed and took his place on the bed while Miya brushed her hair in front of her mirror.

"So are you glad the case is picking up a little?" Miya wondered, looking at him from the mirror.

"I'm glad there's something new to consider," L replied with a nod. "I was beginning to feel defeated."

"Yeah I noticed that," she said, setting her brush down and turning for the bed. She sat down in front of him so they were face to face. "You were worrying me a little. You really shouldn't doubt yourself so much when we reach little standstills in the case. You'll solve it, you always do."

"You're so confident in my deductive abilities," L pointed out. Miya rolled her eyes.

"Well, with that sitting position how could I not be?" she chuckled, motioning toward the gargoyle like position L was sitting in. She still wasn't sure how he kept his balance, especially on cushioned surfaces like this one. "But seriously, don't worry so much next time."

"With you around it might be easier."

"Ooh charming," Miya said, leaning into him and kissing him briefly before pulling away. "You been working on that one long?"

"I have the ability to be charming when I choose to be," L defended casually. Miya leaned into him again with another kiss that lasted just a bit longer than the first. Her hand reached the side of his face before they broke apart.

"I know you do," she laughed before meeting his lips again. Her arms slid around his neck and she felt it coming again; that rush of passion that made it so difficult for her to pull away from him. She leaned her body forward, lifting herself onto her knees and breaking their kiss just long enough to push him back. He lay onto the pillows willingly as Miya climbed over him, her legs on either side of his hips as she leaned down over his face and kissed him once again. She felt his hands on her hips and she scrambled to get closer to him, sliding her arms under his shoulders. A part of her knew she should pull away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead she let her hands slide down his side, reaching the bottom of his baggy white shirt. Her fingers found the edge and slid under it, feeling the warmth of his skin on her fingertips. She had barely lifted the shirt above his belly button, however, when she felt his hands quickly leave her hips and grab a hold of hers.

"Miya…" he managed to say, breaking the kiss.

"Shh," Miya hushed with a slight smile, pulling her hands free of his and resting them on his chest. She pressed her lips to his again for the briefest moment, tugging at his bottom lip gently with her teeth before letting her mouth graze up his cheek to his ear. "Trust me," she whispered. She heard L take in a deep breath at her words and she smiled wider and kissed his cheek. She then sat up slightly, lifting her own shirt above her head to reveal the black bra she had on underneath. This completely caught L off guard, and he looked up at her with wide eyes as she leaned back over him and found his lips.

"Relax…" she mumbled against them. She felt his chest rise beneath her as he took another deep breath and was satisfied to feel his lips part slightly against hers, continuing the kiss. Miya took in the sweet taste of his mouth a moment longer as she once again slipped her hands under his shirt, lifting it slowly from him as she traveled up his sides. She briefly left his lips, pulling the white shirt quickly over his head and tossing it aside, returning to him the moment it was out of the way.

Miya's heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest, a feeling that only increased at the sound of L's breath quickening. She let her lips slide from his and down his jaw line to his neck, where she lingered a moment. She continued the trail of kisses down his neck, placing her lips briefly against his Adams apple, and then at the nape of his neck, and then in the center of his chest. She continued kissing down his stomach, scooting her body back slightly so she was sitting on his thighs. She heard a slight, low moan escape L's mouth as her lips reached his belly button. She lifted her head and smiled slightly at him while her fingers unbuttoned his jeans. She then slid her hands back up his chest, her fingertips feeling every muscle under his hot skin; a feeling that caused Miya's temperature to rise as well. She shifted her position until she was lying on top of him, roping her hands into his hair while her lips crashed against his again. She felt his hands grasp her bare sides and slide around her back, pulling her just the slightest bit closer to him. Miya smiled against his lips as she was absolutely certain of one thing; L was not thinking about work anymore.

* * *

"Miya…" she heard L's voice whisper in the darkness. Her eyes were closed, and all she could sense was his cool skin against hers, along with a soft pounding sound. "Miya, are you awake?" Miya groaned slightly, opening her eyes to see L gazing down at her. She was lying across his chest, and suddenly realized that the pounding was the sound of his heart beating. She lifted her head and cracked a small smile.

"Morning…" she mumbled before glancing toward the window, which was completely dark. "Or…not morning?"

"It's two a.m.," L pointed out. "You shifted slightly in your sleep and I thought you were awake. I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

"Can't say I mind…" Miya said in a tired voice, scooting up to kiss him briefly. "I love you," she added, laying her head on his shoulder. L smiled at her words and kissed the top of her head, feeling what he knew was love. Still he found it hard to express his feelings, so he decided to share something else with her.

"Miya," he said after a moment. She took a deep breath and propped herself up on her arm beside him.

"Hmm?" she wondered.

"My name," He began. "My full name, I mean. It's L Lawliet." Miya blinked, her tiredness suddenly gone, and then she furrowed her eyebrows.

"L?" she questioned.

"Yes," he replied with a slight nod.

"L?" she said again. "You mean, just L? Like, the letter between K and M? Just L?" she repeated, drawing the letter with her finger.

"Yes," he repeated. "L Lawliet."

"Lawliet…" she muttered. "That's cute."

"Sorry it took me so long to tell you," L apologized. "I find that I trust you completely now however." Miya smiled and kissed him.

"The feeling's mutual," she mumbled as she laid her head back on his chest. "So when do you usually leave?"

"Light wakes up between six thirty and seven each day, but I always leave at five just to be safe."

"Mmm," Miya sighed, closing her eyes.

"Yes so it appears we have three more hours together…" L said slowly.

"Mm-hm…"

"Three long hours…" L said again. "No one around. Just me and you." Miya chuckled slightly and sat back up to look at him.

"Are you hinting?"

"At what?" L wondered innocently. Miya rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Mr. Lawliet," she laughed, leaning down and kissing his lips. "You should really take charge the next time you want something." She then closed the space between them again and laced her arms around his neck for a repeat of the night's activity before L had to return to his room.

* * *

"Geez Miya," Matsuda said when she dragged herself into headquarters at about two in the afternoon. "Did you forget we all had jobs to do?" Miya glared at him before turning her attention to the rest of the team.

"Anything new?"

"Not since yesterday," Mr. Yagami said, shaking his head. Miya nodded and sat down in the chair beside L. Matsuda walked up to continue the joking.

"Sleeping in that late," he chuckled. "L, you should fire her for that."

"No need," L said. "I'm sure she just had a long night." Matsuda noticed the slight blush and smile on Miya's face as his eyes widened.

"Oh geez, I didn't need to know that…" he gasped under his breath before fleeing the area.

"I don't know what's up with him," Miya shrugged with a slight chuckle before getting to work.

* * *

Later that night, Miya had just crawled into bed when L appeared, free from his cuffs.

"There you are," Miya said. "I was wondering where you were."

"Actually I've been in the living room," L answered honestly. "I found that I needed to, I guess you could say, prepare myself for something."

"Huh?" Miya said, extremely confused. It was even more surprising when L headed to the bed and slid his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to hers. Miya's eyes widened a moment before closing. That was the first time L had ever initiated contact like this, and she couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

"L…" she said, pushing him away slightly.

"Yes?" he breathed.

"What are you doing?" she asked. L smiled slightly.

"I believe you instructed me to take charge?" he said, grabbing her sides and flipping her under him onto the mattress so fast Miya didn't know what hit her. He placed his arms on either side of her head to prop himself up as he climbed over her.

"How am I doing?" he asked gruffly before leaning toward her and kissing her gently, quite the contrast from his last action. Miya felt her breath quickening as he slid his hands up her sides. Turned out, much to Miya's surprise, that taking charge was right up L's alley.

* * *

L had her stripped down to her bra and underwear in the next few minutes, his own shirt removed as well. Miya was in the process of sliding off his jeans when an almost silent knock on the door caught L's attention. He turned his head toward the door quickly, breaking their kiss.

"Someone's at the door," he muttered, breathing heavy. Miya furrowed her eyebrows slightly and glanced toward the door before grabbing L's face with her hand and turning it back toward her.

"No there isn't," she insisted as her other hand slid back down his chest toward his partially undone pants. L shrugged, now not really caring about the door situation, and hurried to find her lips again. After a moment he let his mouth travel along her neck, not quite touching it, the hot breath heating up her skin. He slid her bra strap aside and had just placed his lips to her bare shoulder when he heard a definite knock on the door. This time, however, Miya heard it too. They both exchanged glances and looked to the door as someone knocked again.

"Mommy?" Noah's tiny voice said. "You up?" Miya's eyes widened at the sound of his voice and she quickly shoved L aside.

"Oh my God!" she gasped, hopping up and scrambling for her clothes, which had been tossed uncaringly aside. L was on his feet too, buttoning his pants and looking around for his shirt. "I thought he was asleep!" she whispered, finding her pajama pants and hopping into them, stumbling slightly in her hurry. She had picked him up from her parent's early that day and had tucked him into his bed over an hour ago.

"Mommy?" Noah said again.

"One second sweetie!" she called quickly, looking to L, who was pulling his shirt over his head. He pulled his head and arms through the holes and looked back at Miya. She had a frantic expression on her face as she motioned toward her half naked body.

"My shirt?!" she said quickly. L turned for the dresser and pulled out a new tank top for her which she slid on thankfully, wondering how on earth she didn't think of that. She then took a deep breath and opened the door, leaning down in front of Noah.

"What's wrong baby?" she wondered casually, surprisingly keeping her breathing in check despite the fact that her heart was racing.

"I need wata!" Noah giggled, pulling her hand. Miya sighed, slightly annoyed that her moment with L had been interrupted for such a small thing. L stood there silently, figuring maybe Noah wouldn't notice his presence and ask more questions, when of course he looked around his mother into the bedroom.

"Mr. Panda!" he yelled excitedly, forgetting Miya instantly and running up to the dark eyed man with his hands in the air. L kneeled down to the ground, catching the little guy in a hug.

"Hey Noah," he said, patting his back gently before standing back up. Noah refused to let go and instead clung on for the ride as L lifted him. Noah looked up at L with big eyes and a wide smile.

"Mr. Panda you hewe again!" he announced. "Awe you hewe every night?" L hesitated a moment.

"Uh…just sometimes," he replied. Noah looked back at Miya to see that she was leaving the room to get some water before turning back to Ryuzaki.

"Mr. Panda," he said. "Do you like my mommy?"

"Very much," L answered simply.

"Do you love my mommy?" Noah asked.

"I do," L answered, somehow able to admit this to the four year old rather than the woman in the other room. Noah giggled delightedly at his response, clapping his hands together. "Why so happy?" L wondered.

"Cause you love my mommy," Noah answered. "And my mommy loves you I think! And mommy read me a bedtime stowy with a mommy and daddy, and she says they was in love! Does that mean you get to be my daddy?!"

"It's not quite that simple…" L trailed off, caught slightly off guard by the child's enthusiasm. He had to admit though, it made him feel good.

"But…do you want to be my daddy?" Noah wondered.

"Sweetheart here's your water," Miya said, returning to the room with a plastic cup. "You need to get to bed. It's late."

"Okay mommy," Noah said, sliding from L's arms and skipping over to retrieve his drink. He sipped it for a moment before handing it back to Miya and running back to L, grabbing his hand. "You gotta tuck me in!" he insisted. Miya smiled slightly as L was pulled from the room by the small boy. She followed behind, poking her head in Noah's room to see L pulling the blanket over him.

"Night Mr. Panda," Noah said sleepily with a big yawn, snuggling in with his blanket and stuffed animals.

"Goodnight Noah," L said before turning toward the doorway where Miya was standing. She smiled and took a hold of his hand, leading him back to the bedroom.

"Thanks for tucking him in," Miya smiled, sitting on the bed as L lay down. She snuggled up next to him as he spoke.

"It's no trouble," L replied. "I've never had a family before you know. I quite like it…feeling a part of your family, I mean."

"We'll it's been just me and Noah since he was born," Miya said. "So, I'm liking the change."

"He always asks if I'm going to be his father…" L said slowly in a low voice. Miya chuckled slightly as L continued. "So I was thinking, and I know it's rather soon, so don't feel pressured to respond to this right away, that perhaps we could make that a reality. I was wondering how you would feel if I adopted Noah someday?" Miya's head popped up so she could see L.

"You're serious?" she wondered. "You would do that? But…but we're not married and I'd hate for you to take on that kind of responsibility."

"But I want to," L answered. "I find myself growing closer to you and Noah each day and it's just something I've been considering lately. I'm not suggesting we sign the papers tomorrow or anything, I'm simply hoping that one day, if you don't mind, I could make Noah my son." Miya felt herself getting a little teary. L really must love them to want to do something like this.

"I think that would be perfect…" she said, sniffling slightly. "I love you, and I know Noah does too." She leaned up and kissed him softly before pulling away and laying her head on his chest. His arm slid around her as he stroked her cheek slightly for a moment, eventually letting his hand fall to the side. A family. She was absolutely right. It would be perfect.


	20. Boyfriend

**Chapter 20: Boyfriend**

Miya grumbled as she made her way to Misa's room. She just couldn't believe L had sent her away to talk to the model when things were finally getting good. He had sent Weddy to put cameras in the Yotsuba head office and she wouldn't be able to hear their meetings! She really wasn't looking forward to listening to Misa gush about Light some more and she found herself hoping desperately that maybe the blonde would have something new to talk about.

"Miya!" Misa said excitedly when the brunette walked in. "I'm so glad you're here! I was getting bored."

"Well, I guess it's kinda nice that you enjoy hanging out with me." Kinda…

"There's no one else to talk to," Misa said bluntly. "Except for Light, of course." Well, two seconds, and Light's name had already come up. The little glimmer of hope died as Miya took a seat across from the blonde.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Aside from seeing Light? Nothing really. I wish I could get out of here and Light wasn't handcuffed to Ryuzaki. Then we could go on dates all the time!"

"Right…" Miya was already ready to go back downstairs. These talks never went anywhere. At this rate, she would never get information about the second Kira.

Miya picked up the October issue of Eighteen magazine and began flipping through it. There wasn't anything interesting at first, just interviews with select celebrities, including Misa, and a few diet articles. When her eyes landed on the editorial on page one-nineteen, however, she was suddenly interested.

'What His Kiss Really Means. Want to know what he's thinking as you're kissing? Now you do!'

"Hm…" Miya wondered aloud.

"What is it?" Misa asked. She eyed the magazine in her hands and got excited. "Are you doing those dating quizzes? Test me!"

"No, it's an article on what your guy's kiss means," Miya explained.

"Um, why would you be interested in that article? It's not like you have a boyfriend anyway."

Miya closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She wanted nothing more than to tell her that, not only did she have a boyfriend, but he loved her back. It was against her better judgment to say anything like that but the girl was annoying her so much, she just couldn't help it. "Actually, I do have a boyfriend." Miya figured as long as Misa didn't know it was L, then there was no harm.

"Really?" Misa asked, not really believing it.

"Yep," Miya nodded. "I love him just as much as you love Light."

"Wow, you must really love him…"

"Okay, let's see what the magazine has to say…" Miya began reading the chart out loud to Misa. "If he slowly kisses you neck, he's trying to impress you." Miya paused. L was kissing up and down her neck last night. So he was trying to impress her…it was the first time he took charge with anything physical. "If he gives you a peck on the cheek, you make him nervous. If he sucks on your bottom lip, he feels comfortable with you. If he holds your chin, he's not that into it." Miya looked up at Misa after reading this. "Has Light kissed you yet?"

"Of course he has!" Misa defended, crossing her arms.

"So…how does he kiss you?" Miya asked with a smile. Miya didn't believe for a second that Light had kissed her. He didn't seem to like her at all, and they never had a moment alone these days.

"None of those, if that's what you're wondering. He's kisses kinda forcefully. Just the way I like it. What about you and your imaginary boyfriend?"

"I'm just going to ignore that "imaginary boyfriend" comment and tell you that he slowly kisses my neck. It's the best when we make love." Miya probably shouldn't have added that last part but she wanted to rub it in Misa's face that she had someone who loved her and had a chance to make love without being watched…of course it was with L so he wasn't exactly watching.

"Really?" Misa asked slowly, not sure if she should believe Miya or not.

"Okay, what others quizzes do we have?" Miya said, changing the subject. She flipped a few more pages but couldn't find anything interesting or anything to else to taunt Misa with.

"Here, let me look," Misa offered. She opened up another magazine and began flipping through it as the door to her room opened. Light and L stepped in through the doors, L with a determined look on his face and Light looking slightly annoyed.

"Light! I didn't know we were supposed to have a date!" She then noticed L standing there with his hands in his pockets and looked disappointed. "Oh right, I should have known."

"Misa Amane," L said. He marched forward into the room and crouched on the arm of the chair, getting close to Misa's face. She jumped back in surprise however; having him that close to her was slightly unnerving. "Tell me, do you love Light from the bottom of your heart?"

"Huh? Yeah, of course I do!"

"But you also worship Kira, don't you?"

"Well yeah," Misa replied.

"Ryuzaki, what is this about?" Miya asked. Her question went unanswered.

"So then," L continued as if he hadn't heard anything. "If you had to choose between Light and Kira, who would you pick?"

"What? That's obvious. Of course it's gonna be Light!" She jumped up from the couch and clung on to Light's arm. "I'm really grateful to Kira and want to meet him one day in person, but that's not true love. I definitely choose Light." Miya rolled her eyes. The model had somehow managed to make herself blissfully unaware of Light's obvious dislike of her, or at least disinterest. It was clear from the expression on his face.

L turned his head so that his eyes could see Misa from his peripheral vision. "But your precious Light is planning to catch Kira, isn't that right?"

Light was caught off guard for being introduced into the conversation. "Well yes, of course I am."

"He says he wants to catch Kira. Now what will you do?" L asked.

"Well, if that's what Light says, then I'm gonna support him no matter what!"

"I see," L said thoughtfully. "So if you were given the opportunity to work with Light on this investigation, would you take the offer?"

Light didn't like where this conversation was going. "What? Ryuzaki-!"

Miya wished she knew what was going on. She felt completely out of the loop and ignored as she sat on the couch, watching the conversation continue.

"Yeah! Of course I would! I'd do anything I could to help Light!" Misa said enthusiastically.

"Wait, hold on second!" Light interrupted. "Where are you going with this?" Miya was glad when finally an explanation started to unfold.

"I'm planning to have Aiber pose as Eraldo Coil again," L explained. "He'll tell the Yotsuba members that while he was investigating L, he discovered that Misa Amane might know who he is. He'll also tell them L brought her in for questioning on suspicion that she was the second Kira."

"That part is true," Misa interjected.

"If the Yotsuba Group believes that Misa could be their lead to finding L, then they'll say that they want to meet her to discuss their advertising campaign. They'll use that opportunity to question her. Thanks to Matsuda's screw-up they might already be considering Misa as their spokesperson so this could work."

"Yeah, right!"

Light was adamant with his decision. "We can't do that."

"Why not?" Misa asked. Miya had the feeling she was getting annoyed with his stubbornness as well. Though she wasn't entirely sure if the model had the ability to be annoyed with Light in the first place.

"This plan is too risky," Light explained. "Who knows what could happen to you." Miya furrowed her eyebrows slightly. Sure Light had stated in the past that he wouldn't manipulate the girl's feelings, but he was sounding now as if truly did care about Misa in this situation.

"Oh wow!" Misa had a dreamy look on her face now. "Does that mean you're worried about me? Yay! But don't worry, I don't mind doing something like this if it's for you Light." Her tone was so worshiping, it was a little sick.

"Listen Misa," Light grabbed onto Misa's shoulders so she could look into his eyes, "if they suspect that you know who L really is, we don't know how far they are willing to go to get that information."

"No problemo!" Misa said confidently. "I promise I won't say anything! Even if they torture me!"

"I can attest to that," L added as he casually strolled through the room.

Light wasn't letting this go. "But Kira can control his victim's actions before their death. There's a good chance he might be able to manipulate her into revealing what she knows and then kill her. Also, if he does manage to kill L he won't have any use for Misa. He'd kill her to keep her silent."

The model was suddenly looking reluctant. "Uh, I don't like the sound of that…"

L held up his index finger and shook it to catch the young man's attention. "Light, you forget that if we win against Kira, Misa won't die. Besides, as long as we're handcuffed together," he held up his arm to show the long chain that connected the two of them, "you and I share the same fate. If I die, so will you. If that happens, Misa is the one who would grieve most of all." Miya had disagree. She knew L didn't mention her for obvious reasons, but she really didn't know what she would do if L were to die. Grieving probably wouldn't even begin to cover the pain she would feel. "Either we lose and both die together or we successfully catch Kira." L then turned to Misa and asked, "Which is it?"

"We catch Kira!" Misa said, completely pumped now. "I would never dream about living in a world without Light!"

"Yes it would be dark," L said. Miya couldn't help but chuckle at his attempt at a joke. She loved it when he tried to be sarcastic.

Light didn't seem to think it was funny however. "Cut it out! This is just crazy!"

"We're running out of time," L said, almost sounding exasperated. "and I'm starting to get desperate. As for Misa Amane, I've turned to her because I know her bravery and love for you is boundless."

Misa looked touched and Miya had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Couldn't she tell that L was just saying that to get her to do what he wanted? Apparently not… "Do you really mean it? Oh no, I think I've totally misunderstood you this whole time! I even called you a pervert! But you actually do understand how I feel, don't you?"

"Yes, Misa is indisputably the most perfect and worthy woman for Light," he said easily.

"Yay! " Misa ran up to L and kissed his cheek hastily before running back to Light.

"You're such a sweetie! Thank you Ryuzaki!"

Miya was okay with that little kiss. It wasn't like it meant anything to either of them. Then Ryuzaki had to ruin it…

"I could actually fall for you…"

"Let's not go that far…"

"Yes Ryuzaki," Miya said through her teeth. "Let's not go that far." L's gaze shifted to her for the slightest second, and a hint of a smile played at the corner of his lip. Miya was certain that if he practiced the habit of blinking, he would have winked at her. But then his expression was blank again as Misa continued.

"But you could maybe be a friend of mine. Would that be ok?" Misa said, clinging onto Light again.

"Yes, so now I've gained yet another friend…" L said pensively.

"Yeah! Of course any friend of Light's is a friend of mine as well. Let's all be friends! And of course I would never think of betraying my friends! With our powers combined, we'll arrest Kira!"

"Glad you're pumped, Misa," Miya commented. She couldn't help but think the model was making this seem like a superhero movie.

"Unfortunately," L started. "Light is taking a different investigative approach from us and will be working with his father and the others. I'm afraid it will just be you and I."

"Wait, what?!" Miya asked suddenly, jumping from the couch. She looked between L and Light in confusion.

"What's up with that?" Misa asked.

"Yeah!" Miya agreed. "I'm up here for an hour and suddenly I miss the biggest change in our investigation? This is ridiculous! No, tell me everything now. I need to choose a side apparently…"

"I've already told you my plan," L said. "Light and the others simply want to contact the soon-to-be victims, which they for some reason can't see it would bring suspicions around them, prolonging the capture of Kira further. So far, Misa is on my side."

"Count me in!" Miya said. "Your plan seems to make more sense." She was certain that if it came down to L's plan vs. Light and the other members, L's was bound to be the most thought out. Besides, she wasn't sure what Light and the others were planning on saying to the potential victims in the first place.

"C'mon L," Light interrupted. "Now you're just playing dirty. You're leaving me with no other choice but to join your-!"

"No, that's quite alright."

"What are you talking about? Of course he'll be joining us!" Misa decided for Light.

"That's not it either! I've been opposed to this investigation since the beginning! It's too dangerous for her!" Light seemed to be at the end of his rope now.

Misa clapped her hands in front of her and stared happily at Light. "Oh, Light. You're so sweet. Thank you for worrying about me, but please let me do this. I wanna be useful to you somehow. If I can be useful, then maybe you'll love me even more. And besides, I would gladly die if it were for you Light." Miya thought Misa was being rather overdramatic, but she chose not to say anything about it. Instead she turned to L and said, "So, it's the four of us then?"

"Maybe, maybe not," L answered mysteriously. Miya had a feeling this conversation was to try to get everyone on his side. She had to admit, the guy was good. But then again she knew that.

* * *

Miya rubbed her throbbing head as she tried to convince her mom that now wasn't a good time for her to visit her home. She wasn't exactly sure how much more of this she could take, and excuses only stretched so far.

"Miya, it's been a few months since you've moved in," her mother said, starting to get annoyed. "I'm sure you're completely unpacked now."

Miya groaned. "It's just not the right time yet, okay? I'm really busy and the last thing I need to worry about is having everything ready for you to visit. I'll invite you when the time is right, okay mom? Promise."

Her mom wasn't satisfied. "You know, Noah told me your boyfriend was staying overnight with you. Do you really think that's the best environment for Noah to be in?"

Miya could just feel her headache increasing. That little traitor had sold her out to her own mother. "We're not doing anything with Noah around, mom. And actually it's great that Ryuga is around Noah because he told me that he wants Noah to be his son someday. He's going to adopt him." Might as well get that out in the open.

Her mother paused a moment. "Is that so? He's willing to take on that kind of responsibility?"

Miya recognized her mother's tone and realized this conversation wasn't going well…and she really wasn't feeling up to talking about it. "Mom, I really don't feel good. I'm going to have to talk to you later."

She eventually hung up with her mother, after much persuasion, and walked into Noah's bedroom to see him lying in bed. He had been sick the past few days, with splitting headaches, vomiting and tiredness. He must have caught a virus from another kid at the day care and managed to pass it on to Miya as well since she was feeling awful. No vomiting yet, but the headache and tiredness was strong.

She lifted the covers of his bed up and over her as she crawled in next to him.

"Mommy, I don't feel good…" Noah mumbled. His eyes were closed and his breathing was slightly irregular, probably trying to overcome his nauseous feeling.

Miya kissed his forehead gingerly. She could feel that he had a fever as well. "I know, sweetie. Just hang in there. It's just a nasty little big. It should go away soon."

"Can Mr. Panda come see me?" he asked softly. Miya could tell he was slowly falling asleep finally. He hadn't slept well the last couple of days because of his illness.

"I'm sorry, baby," she said, snuggling closer to him. "He's really busy right now. Maybe tonight, okay?"

Noah nodded, his breathing was steady as he drifted off into dream world.

At least with this excuse, Miya could get out of spending time with Misa so she wouldn't get sick, but that also meant that she couldn't be around the others either. L's orders, since they all needed to be healthy in order to catch Kira. This stupid virus was bringing her down.

* * *

If Miya hadn't felt a hand resting on her forehead, she probably wouldn't have woken up until the next morning. She slowly opened her eyes to see that L was standing over her with his hand on her head.

"You don't seem to have a fever like Noah does," he said quietly. Miya turned over to see that Noah was still soundly asleep. Even though Miya wanted nothing more than to stay there and fall back asleep, she managed to crawl out of bed and drag herself to the living room, L following her.

"I really don't want to kick you out, but I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here. You might get sick like me and Noah and that could raise people's suspicions of us," Miya explained.

L placed his finger to his lip in thought. "I suppose you're right."

"It shouldn't be long," Miya assured him. "Just a few more days and I should be back to nor-!" She quickly placed her hand over her mouth. L looked at her confusedly before she spun around and ran as fast as she could to the bathroom.

L stood awkwardly in the living room for a few moments before walking to the bathroom as well. He poked his head into the room to see Miya kneeling in front of the toilet, vomiting the contents of her stomach. "Miya, are you alright?"

Miya groaned. "Not really. Noah spent all last night throwing up and now it looks like I'm going to be doing the same thing. I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight."

"Is there anything you would like me to do?"

Miya shook her head. "There's not much you can do. You should probably just go. You can't get sick right now."

"If you're sure…I don't feel comfortable just leaving you here."

"I'll be fine. Really. Don't worry about me."

L was extremely reluctant to leave, but he finally did. Miya really didn't want him to go so soon either, but she couldn't risk the investigation for her selfish needs. She might as well suffer alone for the night. She would get better eventually.


	21. Risk

A/N: Geez...I'm being all sorts of impatient with this updating thing. I hate waiting for the next day to post the next chapter, especially with your encouraging reviews. Let me just say...pretty eventful chapter. I like it though and I hope you do too! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 21: Risk**

"Alright let's try again from the top!" L instructed loudly through the paper megaphone he was holding. Misa was sitting on a sofa in front of him, Aiber across from her on a second couch. Miya stood by watching the scene, not feeling very well again. It didn't help that the whole room was growing tired, as Misa did not seem to grasp the seriousness of her interview with Yotsuba.

"Tell me Misa," Aiber began again. "Is it true you once said that you came to Tokyo in order to meet Kira?"

"Whaaaaaat?" Miya responded dramatically, throwing her arms back into the air. L bopped her on the head with the megaphone before placing it in front of his mouth.

"Misa please stop overacting," he said in an annoyed voice. "It looks too cheesy, not to mention fake." Misa turned around and peered over the couch at him.

"Huh?" she pouted. "But I thought that was a realistic performance!"

"Just do it again," L instructed.

"Whatever you say, 'oh so great director'!" Misa said, making a funny face and waving her hands around.

"If you don't get serious about this I'll kick you," L warned over top of her.

"Hm!" Was all Misa had to say before turning back to Aiber, who began the conversation again. Miya didn't wait to see how she did this time. Instead she stood and headed for the door. L noticed her out of the corner of his eye and set his megaphone on the table, pulling Light over a few feet so he could reach her.

"Where are you going?" he wondered curiously. Miya groaned.

"Sorry, I just really want to go to the doctor. Noah is better and he's at the daycare today, but I'm still not feeling well and I really don't want to deal with this now in the middle of the case."

"Are you alright?" L asked, now clearly concerned.

"Yeah, I just need some medicine or something to help me get better so I can focus again," Miya insisted with a nod. "Just a virus or something. I'll be okay." L still looked concerned, but he slowly nodded.

"Very well," he sighed, double checking to ensure Light wasn't listening. "Call me so I know you're alright."

"I will," Miya replied as she stepped out the door.

* * *

"Well?" Miya wondered as her doctor stepped back in the room where she was waiting. He was a tall man, with a serious face that matched the serious atmosphere of the office. Miya hated visits to the doctor, but she wasn't feeling well and with all the added stress of the case it was just exhausting.

"Well this is probably not the news you're expecting," he began slowly, walking toward her and sitting in a chair across from the patients table where Miya sat. "But…you're pregnant Miss Yamaguchi." Miya's eyes widened at his words before she snorted.

"No I'm not!" she laughed. "There's no way!"

"Are you sexually active?" he asked bluntly. Miya's chuckled died out as she continued.

"But…but my son was just sick…I probably just have whatever virus he had…"

"I'm afraid not," the doctor continued. "All the symptoms you have can be attributed to the early stages of your pregnancy. Morning sickness, headaches, tiredness, mood swings. You're only about a month along but certainly you noticed a stop in your menstrual cycle. You're late for you period this month, correct?"

"…yes…" Miya said after counting the days in her head. With all the work on the case she hadn't even realized. She also remembered the pack of neglected birth control under her parents bathroom sink. She'd left it there during the move by mistake and stupidly forgotten to pick it up again. She couldn't believe she'd been so careless, but it was too late to worry about how it had happened. What was done was done.

"Are you alright Miss Yamaguchi?" the doctor wondered as Miya stared down blankly at her hands.

"Yeah, I-I'll be fine," she said quickly.

"I don't want to overstep my boundaries but may I ask if the father's around?" The doctor asked after a moment. "That's usually the reason for these types of reactions."

"No, that's not it at all," Miya said thankfully. "This is just really bad timing." How could she be pregnant?! With the Kira investigation and her and L's involvement in such a dangerous case! The news was a shock, and it definitely hadn't been what Miya was expecting. She couldn't help the few tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"I'll have the nurse schedule you your next appointment," the doctor said gently, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder before leaving her alone. Miya wiped her tears with the back of her hand and took a deep breath, wondering how L would take the news.

* * *

"If that woman can pull this interview off we should declare it a national holiday," L said, shaking his head as he stepped into Miya's living room. "All day and still she can barely pull it off realistically." He sighed and looked to Miya, who was on the couch looking back at him. He furrowed his eyebrows and stepped over to where she was, perching himself beside her. "What did the doctor say?" L wondered. "You didn't call me. I was worried. Did he write you a prescription?"

"No," Miya answered.

"Well, are you alright?" L asked, reaching a hand out and touching her cheek gently. Miya nodded and stood up.

"I'm fine. I'm just really tired. I'm going to go to bed." She headed toward the bedroom and L stared after her before hopping off the couch and following with his hands in his pockets. He reached the bedroom to see that Miya was already lying down. He took his place beside her and slid his arms around her waist slowly. He noticed that she didn't snuggle into him like she usually did, so he sat up slightly to see her face.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again. Miya nodded and leaned up to kiss him, hoping to put an end to his worry. When the kiss grew deeper, however, and Miya felt his hand on her hip, she pushed him away gently.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I can tell something is bothering you and I would like to know what it is." Miya knew she had to tell him, and for some reason a little touch of panic sunk in. A tear rolled down her cheek, causing L to sit up further in concern. Miya buried her face in his chest.

"Miya…?" he said slowly, completely unsure of what to say despite his major concern.

"Sorry…" she sniffed, wiping her eyes and lifting her head to look at him. "I have to tell you…I'm not sure how you'll take this but…" L stared at her as she finally shared the news. "…I'm pregnant." She looked back at him, awaiting a response, and instead got a blank stare. Then his hands slid from her waist as he placed his thumb to his lip.

"You're…pregnant…" he mumbled slowly. After another moment, his eyes focused and he looked back at her. "We can't let anyone know of your situation, at least while it isn't obvious. Also we cannot let anyone know that it is mine, as that would be risky."

"That's all you have to say?" Miya asked. "'Don't let anyone know it's mine'?"

"I'm simply trying to protect you and our child," he replied calmly. "You have my full support."

"That's good because I wasn't sure," Miya said, her anger rising. "Must have had something to do with letting everyone think I'm a slut who got knocked up again by a random guy. Or maybe you'd prefer that I just get rid of it so we don't have to worry about it at all?" In truth Miya would never even consider this option, but she was mad at L and the words were just coming. L's eyes widened.

"Absolutely not," he said sternly. "I want you to have the baby."

"But just as long as no one knows you're involved, right?" Miya snapped. "That's perfect. Thank you so much for that."

"I'm not leaving you alone!" L insisted rather loudly, which was unusual for his normally calm voice.

"You might as well be," Miya shrugged. "When people ask who the father is, I'll have to say he's not around. I'll have to go to the doctor's by myself because it would be suspicious if you came. You won't even be able to be in the delivery room. And then when the baby is born, we'll have to train him to hide his father's identity, because God forbid the world knows he has a dad who loves him."

"Miya, please don't do this," L said. "You have to understand. If Kira were to discover my identity, he would not only kill me but all those closely associated with me who may hold information. If everyone knew we were intimately connected, it would endanger you, the baby, and Noah. Is that what you want?"

"Of course not," Miya snapped. "But why does everything have to be like this! I tell you I'm pregnant and the first thing out of your mouth is how to hide it from Kira! I know the details, okay? I know we won't be able to tell, as much as I wish we could…but God, do you have to be so cold about it? I'm scared here and…why can't you ever just hold me and tell me it will be okay?" Miya was sobbing now, unaware of how much emotion she had built up in her. As much as she wanted to push L's arms away, she found herself crying on his shoulder.

"You don't have to cry Miya," he said. "I'm here for you and I'm not going anywhere." Miya raised her head to look at him.

"Then why don't you prove it?" she asked flatly, wiping her tears away and turning away from him, lying down and closing her eyes. L sat beside her, rubbing her shoulder in comfort with one hand while he brought his thumb to his lip with the other. He had a lot of thinking to do, despite the fact that he already knew what had to be done.

* * *

"Everyone, please gather around," L said the next day when Miya stepped into the room. She headed over to the small group of task force members, which at the moment included Matsuda, Aiber, Mogi, Mr. Yagami, and of course Light who was handcuffed to the lead detective, whose eyes were scanning the faces of those around him. They landed on Miya last and lingered there for a moment. He loved her, and now they were going to start a family together, and so the words he had to say flowed out casually.

"I would just like to inform everyone," L began. "That Miya and I have been seeing each other for some time now in secret." Everyone's faces were shocked, except Matsuda, who looked very relieved to have the secret off his chest, even if he hadn't been the one to lift it. L had thought long and hard about this moment all night, and he had decided, however unwisely, that it was time to come clean.

"Dating?" Mr. Yagami wondered. "But that's a little irresponsible considering the dangers involved with this situation, isn't it?"

"Yes well, some things cannot be controlled," L continued, placing a bite of strawberry shortcake into his mouth before continuing through his mouthful. "It would have remained a secret but this is no longer practical in light of recent discoveries and future events."

"What are you talking about Ryuzaki?" Mr. Yagami asked, confused.

"L…you don't have to…" Miya said slowly. "I can deal with it. I was just upset."

"Can someone please just fill us in on what's going on?" Aiber asked, clearly agitated.

"Ah yes, in regard to this meeting," L continued after swallowing. "Everyone should know that Miya is now pregnant with my child and therefore I will be attending various events with her, including doctor's appointments." Again the looks of shock swept everyone's faces. Even Matsuda was surprised by this development. "Also," L continued. "I ask that you please keep this information to yourselves. I simply felt that as members of this team you should know the truth, as unavoidably things are going to change." The reasons for L's sudden confession were mixed, and for once in his life he was not certain about his own decision. However, he had weighed the pros and cons in his head, and in the end it had come down to some undeniable facts.

One was that Miya's secret pregnancy would only be a secret for so long, and soon her stomach would give her away. That meant that eventually, questions were going to come up as to who the father was. Now L's original idea had been to simply not let anyone know it was his, but he saw a number of problems in this theory. First, if the baby wound up looking like him, it would be extremely hard to cover. Second, and this was assuming Matsuda would keep his mouth shut, Miya was always at headquarters, and he was fairly certain someone would realize this and accuse one of the men in the task force. This would undoubtedly lead to himself, as though it may not have been clear that the two were dating, it was certainly clear that Miya was his friend, as well as her four year old son who had, what seemed to the detectives to be, an unnatural liking to L. He was one hundred percent certain that one of the bright people on his team would figure it out, which brought him to his third problem; Light Yagami.

Light was, without a doubt, an extremely bright young man. And a suspicious one at that. L felt that Miya and himself had done a reasonable job hiding their unexpected love, but as he had pondered the issue the previous night before, he began to realize that maybe that wasn't the case. Matsuda had certainly been a slip up, but L was sure Light was suspicious of them as well. As a matter of fact, he had bluntly asked him why he cared what Miya felt once previously. Therefore, he was nearly ninety-eight percent positive that Light would figure it out for himself.

The second undeniable fact L had gone over last night was that he was, without a doubt, in love with Miya Yamaguchi and therefore, he wanted to be there for her and their child. He knew, as much as he wanted to avoid it, that the only way to truly be there for her one hundred percent was to tell people about their relationship. No hiding. This fact, though he knew it, was hard for him because the last thing he wanted was to put Miya in danger. However, since he suspected Light so strongly, and since he knew Light would find out on his own either way, he decided to take Miya's advice and take a risk.

This is how L was able to so calmly confess everything they'd been hiding. If it came down to Light, possibly Kira, finding out now at L's own control, or later at any possible moment, L would rather it be now. Light, at the present time, appeared to be free from Kira's power, and so he hoped that meant they were safe. And despite all the fears, as everyone looked back and forth between he and Miya at a loss for words, he found himself slightly relieved.

"Wow…" Matsuda said slowly before breaking out into a grin. "Congratulations Ryuzaki! And Miya!"

"Thank you," L said, taking another bite. "I find that I'm quite looking forward to becoming a father." Miya smiled slightly as a huge wave of relief washed over her as well. Finally the secret was out, and it looked like L would be able to fully support her after all. She was nervous, as this was obviously a huge risk, but she felt like it was necessary if only for the fact that hiding the truth was becoming more difficult by the day.

"Alright back to work," L ordered, turning for the screen himself. Everyone gladly left, all clearly unsure of what to say. Matsuda seemed to be the only one who had digested the information, and he gave L a friendly slap on the back before walking away. Miya stepped up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said.

"I want to be there for you," he explained. "This is necessary and frankly, I feel much better with the information out in the open."

"Me too," Miya agreed. "And see now I can kiss you anytime I want." She laughed and leaned down to prove her point, placing her lips to his just for a moment.

"Ahem…" Watari's voice said over the intercom.

"Sorry Watari," Miya apologized. It wasn't a habit she was planning on adopting anyway. She knew, despite how far L had come in the physical aspect of their relationship, that public affection would never be his thing.

"Quite alright," Watari chuckled in return.

"Well congratulations Ryuzaki," Light said, turning towards him in his chair. "I'm not sure how this happened with these handcuffs, but I suppose that's a secret you are not going to share."

"No," L said simply.

"Well I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," Light added. "If Kira were to find out that the great L has a family…"

"I'm well aware of that, thank you," L said, cutting him off. Miya rolled her eyes. Leave it to Light to ruin things. She really hated that guy.

"Just a warning," Light shrugged, turning back toward the screen. L glanced at him suspiciously from the corner of his eye for a moment before turning back to his work. All he could hope, for his sake and now for the sake of Miya, Noah, and the baby to come as well, was that Light was not Kira. Unfortunately, however, L's suspicion of Light had not faded, and he refused to let go of his original theory that Light Yagami was Kira. However as Miya squeezed his shoulder, L found himself wishing for the first time in his life that his deduction was wrong.


	22. Oxford

**Chapter 22: Oxford**

"I have a surprise for you guys!" Misa said excitedly. She was dressed in a short nurse outfit and was digging through her pockets. "You guys are going to love me!"

"Misa, where have you been?" Miya asked her. She placed her hands on her hips and gave her the 'mom' look. After the Yotsuba meeting, Mogi called in telling them all that Misa had run off by herself. She'd been gone for a couple hours and no one knew what she had been up to.

"Wow Miya," Misa mumbled. "You really are a mom…"

Miya huffed and sat back down next to L as Misa whipped out her cell phone and played something she had recorded. It was easily recognizable as Higuchi's voice. He was going on about how he was truly Kira and how he wanted to marry Misa so they could rule together.

"And so, based on what he said, Higuchi is Kira!" Misa concluded proudly.

"That seemed extremely easy," Miya said slightly suspicious.

L was silent for a moment as he eyed Misa. He seemed as suspicious of her, as Miya was, but wasn't openly saying anything. She placed a hand over his, causing him to look at her.

"What's on your mind?" she whispered. Everyone's attention was on Misa at the moment so no one was paying attention to Miya and L.

"If the killing of criminals stops now, then there's no doubt that Higuchi is the one with Kira's power," L said thoughtfully. "However, I know Amane would do almost anything for Light, but to think she would actually go this far?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Miya agreed.

"If criminals do stop dying after this, it will make it difficult to determine the critical element; how Kira conducts his murders. We have to think of plan."

Light's voice interrupted their quiet musings. "Misa, how did you get Higuchi to confess?"

"Easy," Misa gloated. "That guy is totally in love with me. All I had to do was tell him I'd marry him if he was really Kira. Plus, I managed to convince him that I'm the second Kira."

"And how, I wonder, did she manage that…?" Miya thought to herself aloud, though only L heard her.

Light looked upset by her confession. "Misa! You idiot! Didn't I tell you to deny all that?"

"But now we know Higuchi is Kira right? So what's the problem? Can't we just catch him?"

Watari came out of nowhere, wheeling in a cart full of sweets. It was strange, as Miya really didn't see Watari too often. He was an older man with white hair and a mustache, and Miya felt that he had a sort of adorable look about him. L accepted a treat thankfully from him and then motioned for Miya to help herself to some. She shook her head.

"Don't tempt me with all those sweets, L," she said with a slight laugh. "I'm eating for two now. I can't indulge in those sweets of yours so much or the baby won't be healthy. I need to keep up a well balanced diet."

L stared back at her with a blank stare on his face. "I see…it appears there is much about pregnancy I still don't know about…"

Miya chuckled at his cluelessness. "Well, lucky for you, I've gone through this before."

Light's voice brought them back to the topic at hand.

"But right now, we still don't know exactly how he kills his victims, do we?"

"Yes, that's what I was thinking," L told him. He tried to take his mind off Miya and the baby and attempted to refocus his mind on Kira. "Before we move to arrest Higuchi, I want to find out how he kills people."

"If the criminals stop dying, we won't be able to figure it out unless we come up with another idea. Isn't that right?" Light asked.

L took a slice of cheesecake off the cart Watari had brought in and held it in front of his eyes. For some reason, this seemed to help him think better. "Yes. At any rate, even if we do arrest Higuchi, we're not going to do it until we're certain criminals have stopped dying. Let me think about this for a moment." L paused, gathering his thoughts, before speaking to the computer in front of him. "Weddy."

"Yeah," her voice said quickly.

L replied, "An update on the current situation, please."

"Everything's going smoothly," her voice said easily. "We should be able to track seventy percent of their movements using the cameras inside the office building."

L stared at the screen. "What about outside the office?"

"That's not gonna be possible with just Watari and me."

"What if you focus solely on Higuchi?" L asked.

Wedy's voice seemed surprised. "Higuchi? I've only been able to enter the houses of five of the men so far. Higuchi has a super high-tech security system. He recently constructed a dampening room that shuts out all electronic waves. It took me two days just to break into the place."

"This guy sure does sound suspicious," Matsuda said.

"Hm, alright," L said. "Then begin installing microphones, trackers, and cameras, but not in the house. Instead, just put them in every car."

Weddy was frustrated now. "What? After getting this far? Do you know how difficult it is to break into someone's house? Besides, do you have any idea how many cars this guy has?" Though Miya didn't exactly approve of breaking into people's houses, she felt a little bad that Weddy had spent all that time breaking in just to find out that she really didn't have to.

"He has six," L replied through a mouthful of something sweet.

"Fine then," Weddy gave in. "I just have to install them in all his cars, right?"

"Yes, thank you." L said. He was silent for another moment, obviously contemplating something. When he spoke, he directed it to Light. "Light, I'm sorry to keep coming back to this topic…I'll just get right to the point."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember? Killing anyone, I mean." L faced Light for a moment to see his reaction.

"Are you still going on about that? Look! I'm not Kira! How many times do I-?"

L cut him off. "I just want you to answer the question. Well? Do you remember?"

"No, I don't."

L turned to the blonde. "Misa, what about you?"

"I don't remember!" Misa instantly defended. "How could I 'cause I'm not Kira!

"Look Light, please listen to what I'm about to say. I'd like you to thoroughly analyze my theory. This could determine the way in which we end up catching Kira. Light Yagami used to be Kira. Kira's power has somehow passed on to another person. Light Yagami now has no memory of ever being Kira." L paused to let Light digest this information. "I need your analysis based on these assumptions. Do you think you could do that for me?"

"Yeah, I'll give it a try. Actually, given your premise, it would be my will."

"Yes, of course. If there is a third party with the ability to bestow or transfer Kira's power, and they didn't want their method to be discovered, it would make no sense that they would wait so long to transfer from you to the next Kira. If we believe that this was the work of some being watching us from above, then we have to accept that they are impossible to catch. Not to mention, I'd already be dead. Or at the very least, I'm being made a fool by eternally dancing in the palm of someone's hand. It's highly unlikely that such a being exists. Thank you Light. I can say that I feel ninety-nine percent better."

Watari showed up again, bringing more sweets for L and now vegetables for Miya. L eyed them disdainfully before digging into some chocolate. "I'm sorry you have to eat those," L mumbled.

Miya giggled. "I happen to like some vegetables."

L eyed her for a few more seconds before addressing the rest of the room. "We'll create a situation where Higuchi won't be able to pass on his power to anyone else. We'll have him show us how he kills."

"So, what are you gonna do?" Light asked.

"I'm going to trick Higuchi by using Sakura TV," L explained.

Realization hit Matsuda. "Like a hidden camera show!"

L continued with his explanation. "We'll use the Kira special Demigawa airs every week. We'll book a three hour time slot. It will be announced that Kira's identity will be revealed at the end of the special."

"Would anyone actually buy that though?" Matsuda asked. "This is Sakura TV after all. For all we know, Higuchi might not even watch that program."

"That part is true," Miya agreed. "Sakura TV isn't exactly known for being a high class television station."

Light was catching on. "We'll get Namikawa to call him and say, 'This is bad. Turn on your TV.' That should be enough to get him watching. Higuchi will buy it once he realizes its special guest on the TV is someone who knows him."

Now Miya was starting to catch on as well. Matsuda however, was a little slow on the update.

"Oh I get it! So we'll be using Aiber then! He'll reveal that he was a spy all along!"

"No, I'm afraid you're incorrect," L said simply. Matsuda couldn't see the annoyed look L had on his face but Miya could. "We will not be using Aiber. Whoever appears on the show has to be someone who Higuchi believes he can kill. In other words, it has to be someone whose name he can look up easily."

"But were never gonna find a person like that, are we?" Matsuda asked.

Everyone in the room turned and looked at Matsuda. "Hm…"

"You're the only one who can do it," Light decided.

"Matsu!" Misa said excitedly.

"Higuchi probably thinks that you were listening in on their conversation and heard their plans to kill people. It would make sense that Misa's manager, who he thought was dead, would be revealing his secret," Light explained.

"That's right," L agreed. "We'll have Sakura TV use a voice filter and frosted glass to protect your identity. Higuchi will probably realize from the announcement and silhouette that it's the manager, Tora Matsui. And just to make sure, we'll have the studio mess up and accidentally reveal your face from behind the frosted glass."

"Wow! Sounds exciting!" Misa said.

"At the risk of sounding like Misa," Miya started, "I'd have to agree. This does sound exciting!"

"Until the show ends, the announcer will keep saying that they will announce who Kira is at the end of the show," L said.

"Higuchi would feel cornered," Light clarified. "He'd have no choice but to find out the manager's name as soon as possible. We can anticipate what actions he'll take."

"We'll witness his killing method. After that, we arrest him. There is one potential problem with this plan. If Higuchi can kill by simply looking at someone's face, just like the second Kira, Matsuda will die."

That potential problem sounded kinda like a big problem to Miya, and Matsuda looked absolutely terrified now.

"But, considering the fact that you're still alive, and how he's pursuing Misa, I doubt that's the case," Light told him.

"At any rate, we're only going to do this once criminals stop dying. We're going to have to wait two or three days to see if that happens. In the meantime, Matsuda will have to decide if he wants to go through with this plan."

Matsuda took a deep breath and stepped up to L. "I don't need two or three days to decide. I want to do this." He had wanted to help, and now he was finally playing a big part.

"Wow, Matsuda!" Miya said. "That's so brave! I'm proud of you!" Miya walked up to the young man and hugged him. "You're going to be fine. Don't worry, this plan will work!"

* * *

"Okay Noah, it's time for bed," Miya said. The two had been sitting on the couch watching _The Great Mouse Detective_ again. He had insisted that they watch it together since they hadn't seen each other all day. By the time it was over, however, Noah was yawning and trying very hard to keep his eyes open.

"I don't wanna go to bed…" he mumbled. He didn't even want to get off the couch. Miya smiled as she picked him up and carried him off to his bed. When she placed him down gently, she grabbed Panda off the floor and put him next to her son. Noah snuggled against the bear.

Miya hadn't had the chance to tell Noah the good news yet and had been anxious to do so. She had planned to do it as soon he got home, but he wanted to watch the movie with her. Instead, she had planned on telling him after, but he was practically asleep now. She figured she'd try anyway. She just couldn't wait any more.

"I know you're half asleep, but I can't wait to tell you. I have a surprise for you." Miya said softly.

Noah seemed interested in this so he sat up, trying to stay awake. "What mommy?"

"Well, how would you like to be a big brother?" Miya asked, smiling at him.

"A big broda?" Noah wondered.

Miya nodded. "Yeah, sweetie, I'm going to have a baby."

"Baby? Is Mr. Panda the baby's daddy?"

"Yeah, and actually, he told me he wants to be your daddy too."

Noah's face brightened tremendously. "Mr. Panda gonna be my daddy?"

"Mhm," she agreed with a nod, the smile big on her face as well. She had never seen him so happy before and she had to push the tears back from her eyes. She never realized how much Noah really wanted a father.

Noah jumped up from his bed, now awake, and hugged onto his mom. "Can I see Mr. Panda? Can he tuck me in?"

Miya paused. "I'm not sure. He's still handcuffed to Mr. Light. I don't think you want to see him. Can you wait to see Mr. Panda tomorrow? I promise I'll let you see him."

Noah reluctantly agreed. "Okay…" He crawled back into bed, holding onto the panda again.

"Goodnight Noah," Miya said kissing his head.

"Night mommy. Can you tell daddy I said 'night'?"

Miya smiled as she made her way to the doorway. "Of course."

* * *

Miya waited impatiently on her couch waiting for L to come like he usually did every night. She couldn't wait to tell him Noah's reaction to the adoption. He was sure to be thrilled.

When L finally made it, he looked completely lost in his own thoughts. He didn't even look at Miya as he entered. He merely sat next to her in his usual crouched position and stared at the wall across from him.

"Um, are you alright?" Miya asked uncertainly.

L slowly turned his face to look at her. "Can I run something by you?"

Miya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Sure…what is it?"

"I have a lot of thoughts running through my head right now and I just need to tell them to someone. Since you're the only person I trust, besides Watari, I want to confide in you."

"Of course," Miya nodded. She knew L trusted her now, but it still made her feel good that he wanted to share things with her. "What's up?"

"Okay, here are my thoughts. Light Yagami used to be Kira. Kira's power has somehow passed on to another person. Was that because Light Yagami wanted that to happen, or was it because there was someone in control of Light, lurking in the background who gave him the power? Was it that person who passed Light's power to someone else? I just can't seem to figure that out."

Miya processed what he said slowly. "So you're thinking there's someone in the background who's responsible for all this?" Miya began chewing her thumb nail, a habit she had taken from L, as she thought something out. "You know, I remember when the second Kira, uh I mean Misa, made the video tapes for Sakura TV, she mentioned something in there about Shinigami. Could Shinigami possibly be responsible for this whole 'Kira' business?"

"You expect me to believe Shinigami exist, Miya?" L asked skeptically.

Miya shrugged in response. "You never know. Would you have ever thought there would be a criminal that could kill his victims by making them have heart attacks? Anything is possible, apparently."

"I see…" L put his hand down and faced Miya. "Thank you for listening Miya."

"No problem," she said with a smile. "Now I have something to tell you."

"Yes? What is it?"

"I told Noah," Miya said. "About the adoption and the new baby, I mean, and I don't think I've ever seen him this happy before. Ever. He was kinda sad when I put him to bed because he wanted his new daddy to tuck him in."

L smiled faintly. "I'm glad Noah is happy. Daddy…I must say, I rather like the sound of that."

Miya grinned before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. This caught L off guard as he wobbled slightly from the impact. He brought his legs down and sat down normally as he continued kissing the brunette.

Miya chuckled when she pulled away. "Okay, daddy, have you thought of any names for this one?" she asked. She patted her stomach as she said this. "I know we have a long time to discuss this, but for some reason I really wanna get started. We need to come up with boy and girl names." She paused to face L. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?"

"Yeah, a boy or a girl?"

"Hm…I find myself wanting a boy…" he mumbled after a moment of thought.

"Really? Okay, so if we had a boy, what would we name him?" she asked herself. After a few seconds, she started giggling at something that just occurred to her. "You know what? Our names together are 'LMN'. Maybe the baby should have a name that starts with an 'O'."

Miya had been joking around when she said this, so when L replied, "Yes, I have noticed that pattern. I was thinking the same thing", Miya was surprised.

"I was only joking…"

"I like that idea though," L told her.

Miya raised an eyebrow at him. "What name could we possibly give our son that starts with an 'O'?"

L was thoughtful for a moment. "I like Oxford."

Miya could only stare at the detective. Was he serious? "I'm not naming my baby that. Although, if it's a girl, we could go with Olivia and still keep the tradition."

"Miya, I think Oxford would be the perfect name for our son." He was not letting this go.

"Oxford? Seriously? We're better off naming the kid Aloysius Lawliet for goodness sake!"

"Miya, Aloysius doesn't start with an 'O'…" L said blankly, her sarcasm apparently having flown over his head.

Miya rolled her eyes at him. 'You idiot.' She thought. "Where did Oxford even come from? That's not even a Japanese name!"

"Did you forget that I used to live in England? It is an English name and I find that I like it." Damn, he really did like that name! Miya figured she shouldn't be surprised, considering odd names weren't exactly unheard of to the detective. His name was just plain L after all.

"Mhm…I guess we'll just have to talk about this later then." she said, deciding to just let it go in hopes that maybe he would forget that name suggestion. "Now come tuck me in, I'm sleepy."

L stood up as Miya dragged him into the bedroom, where she would quickly fall asleep in his arms a few minutes later.


	23. Plan

**Chapter 23: Plan**

"So…Light you have a whole plan then?" Miya wondered as he prepared himself to make another call to Namikawa, one of the now seven remaining members of the Yotsuba group. He barely looked to her as he answered.

"Yeah, if all goes as planned, we'll have Kira captured in no time," Light said confidently.

"Unless of course Kira's powers transfer, in which case we'll be dealing with a whole new Kira," L reminded as Light dialed. Miya really hoped that wasn't the case, because the investigation would never end. Light didn't even seem to hear him as the phone rang.

"It's L," he said once the man answered. The phone call was on speaker over the computer, and everyone leaned in to listen. "Before I go on, are you by yourself?"

"No," Namikawa answered simply.

"Then just act like it's a normal call again."

"No, I don't think there's any need for that," Namikawa continued. "One of the people here with me was just expressing his suspicions about your last phone call." Miya's eyes widened as he paused, speaking to the others with him, before continuing. "L," he started. "Mido and Shimora are here as well. I'm reasonably certain that neither of them are Kira. In fact, they seem fed up with him at this point. I'll speak for them and say they'll choose to stand back and watch your face off with Kira, like I plan to."

"Hmm, that's fine," L said after a moment of thought. Miya put her hands on his shoulders as the conversations continued. She found that now that the team knew they were together, she had the constant urge to just kiss him every moment of every day. She resisted, however, as she knew L wasn't entirely comfortable with displaying affection to the team. She couldn't avoid the occasional touch though.

"Tonight I'm gonna catch Kira," Light continued seriously. "But I'll need a favor from you."

"Hmm? Then it's the end for Higuchi," Namikawa said.

"What?" Light questioned without thinking. "You know it's him?"

"Ha! So even the great L can be tricked!" Namikawa scoffed. "Based on your reaction I'm now one hundred percent certain that Higuchi is Kira." L and Miya gave Light glances, silently scolding him for being so careless. Misa didn't even seem to notice.

"Namikawa is pretty smart huh?" the model said. "But then, I always thought he was from looking at his face. I guess this proves it!"

"No, that was just because Light messed up," L said. Miya knew he was pissed that Light was making L seem so careless. Ryuzaki would have never fallen for that trick so easily.

"I'm baiting Higuchi with a staged TV special tonight on Sakura TV," Light continued, ignoring L's comment. "A few minutes into the program, I want you to contact Higuchi, tell him to tune in. Do that for me, and I won't go after you or any of the other five. As for the others, if they try to do anything, make sure to stop them."

"I understand," Namikawa said simply before hanging up.

"Wow Light, you're so smart," Misa gushed, walking up to him. Miya rolled her eyes and wondered how this would all play out.

* * *

"Do you think this plan will work?" Miya wondered as she lay down beside L. She was sporting a flirty silk mini dress instead of the usual flannels, and the great detective found himself a tad distracted.

"Hard to say," L answered finally. "It seems well thought out but there's not a one hundred percent guarantee."

"Well, I hope we catch him," Miya said, pulling herself overtop of L. "I know it's all part of the job but I find the meetings with the Yotsuba group really boring." She leaned her face down to his and kissed him, sliding her hands under his shirt. He pulled his face away and gently held her back by her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he wondered.

"I'm undressing you," she answered obviously with a slight laugh. "Don't worry. I'll let you return the favor." She leaned back toward him, but L dodged her lips.

"What is wrong with you?" she laughed.

"Miya as…tempting as the offer is," he said slowly, eyeing her outfit. "We can't do this in your condition."

"My…condition?" Miya repeated, looking confused.

"You're pregnant," he reminded. Miya looked at him for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"I do not see the joke," he said seriously.

"L, we can have sex," she informed him after her laughing subsided.

"We…can?" L finally said. "But isn't that dangerous? For the baby?" Miya chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I promise it's perfectly safe."

"Oh…" L said.

"You know, you're really lucky they didn't have a section about pregnancy and childbirth on the university exam. You're pretty clueless."

"I will have Watari purchase a book and be an expert in the area by tomorrow," L said as Miya ran her fingers through his shaggy hair.

"You know, I don't doubt you on that," she laughed before bringing her face to his for a third time. He kissed her back easily now, no longer hesitant as he slid his arms around her.

* * *

"Mom?" Miya said the next morning once she had dragged herself out of bed and gotten dressed.

"Yes, what is it sweetie?"

"I was hoping you could watch Noah later today? I have to work late and I know I won't be able to pick him up from the day care on time."

"I suppose," her mother sighed. "Work, huh?"

"Yes," Miya defended. It was true. The plan was to be carried out today and the last thing she wanted was to worry about Noah while they were bringing down Kira. "I'll drop him off later, okay?"

"Okay, see you then," her mother said before hanging up. Miya sighed. She still hadn't gotten around to telling her mother the news, and it was not something she wanted to do anytime soon.

* * *

"Wow, I am totally running late!" Miya said, hurrying into her parent's home with Noah. She hadn't been able to leave headquarters right when she'd wanted, as Noah was talking L's ear off, and as she pulled the small child to her parent's living room to see Matsuda's announcement pop up on Sakura TV, she cursed. "Damn, I gotta go."

"Oh, why are you watching this dear?" her mother asked her father, looking to see the usually gossipy station on the screen. Miya just had to pause to look, hearing Matsuda's disguise voice.

"Yes!" he said in the funniest squeaky tone Miya had ever heard. "I've got a lot of evidence to prove it too…"

"See, they're talking about Kira!" her father said enthusiastically overtop of the television. Miya tried to ignore him to listen.

"The man who died was Mr. H. Mr. H wanted to leave the meetings and was killed by Kira because of that." Suddenly the screen fell, revealing Matsuda, who was covering his head with his arms. "Uh…oh!" he fumbled, looking to the screen as the crowd of television crew members rushed to cover him up again.

"Well, that sucks…" her father said as Miya resisted the urge to laugh. Matsuda was actually pulling off the fake mishap fairly well, and she was thankful to see he was still alive, which meant Kira couldn't kill him with just a look.

"Sweetheart, you can go," her mother said. Miya nodded and rushed toward the door.

"Tell my new daddy I said hi!" Noah giggled excitedly.

"What?" Miya's mother questioned, looking to Miya. "He adopted him already?"

"Well, he's going to," Miya said, reaching for the knob.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be a big broda!" Noah added, clapping his hands. Miya froze. Damn…that was unexpected. She turned to face her mother, who had wide eyes.

"Tell me he's joking…" she said slowly. "You're pregnant?"

"Um…"

"Miya!" Her mother said loudly, stepping over to her. "Did you learn nothing the first time?"

"I know," Miya groaned, her hand on the door. "But it's different with Hideki. Mom I really need to-"

"Two babies before you're twenty?" her mother said, shaking her head. "And not even married! Two different fathers! Miya, what are you thinking?!"

"Wow, that was discreet," Miya said. "Why not just use the word 'slut'?"

"Because Noah is around," her mother whispered. Miya's eyes widened.

"I'm outta here," she said. "I'll be back later. Enjoy your last day with Noah because he is definitely not coming back after this." Her mother made to speak, but Miya flung the door open and stepped out of the house, ending that conversation.

* * *

Miya reached the highly secured building in tears. How could her mother talk to her that way? This wasn't like the first time. She was older, living on her own, had a boyfriend that loved her and was actually stepping up to do his job as a father. Miya was certain her mother didn't like L, but she would have to get over it. Miya wasn't planning on speaking to her for a while anyway, so she should have plenty of time to do just that.

She wiped her tears before stepping through the door, going through the number of entrance requirements and identification steps. She hoped her eyes didn't look too puffy, as the last thing she wanted was to make things about her when they were in the middle of an intense plan.

She rushed into headquarters to see L in front of the computer, along with Light, and Misa standing nearby in front of a large screen that looked like a maze. It had Higuchi's name marked in red in one area, and Weddy's name marked in green not too far away. Miya recognized it instantly as a tracker to keep track of their positions, and she jogged over to see what was up.

"So what's he gonna do?" Misa was wondering, looking to the screen.

"What did I miss?" Miya asked breathlessly.

"Everything's gone according to plan," L informed her, turning in his chair. "He has attempted to call Misa as well as spoken to Mogi and the president of Yoshida Productions in an attempt to find out Matsuda's real name. We've been listening and it's clear he's panicking. He should be on his way out now to get the personnel files from Yoshida." L looked at Miya for a moment curiously. "Are you alright?" he added.

"I'm fine," Miya said quickly, thankfully being interrupted by Weddy's voice over the computer intercom.

"I see Higuchi," she said, the sound of her motorcycle engine in the background. "I'm in pursuit." Miya looked to the screen to see Weddy's name following Higuchi's.

"Everything's still going according to plan," Light noted.

"Yes," L agreed.

"Then let's hope it works," Miya added, anxious to refocus her thoughts on work and the plan unfolding before them.

* * *

"What an awful time for commercial breaks," Miya complained when yet another commercial in the middle of the broadcast came on. It just seemed inconvenient that during the middle of their chase Sakura TV had to play commercials. L was holding a banana and watching casually as if nothing was wrong. It was then that Miya looked to the screen to see what was being advertised.

"Cosme Misa," a seductive voice was saying as a giggling image of Misa came on the screen. "A devilish charm. An angel's glitter." Misa licked her lips on screen, and Miya glanced over at L with an amused expression on her face, as the whole commercial was kind of stupid, only to see that he was licking his lips too! Her mouth fell open a little as the voice continued. "Misa's new line of lipstick. Just for you." L then bit the banana peel and pulled it with his teeth as Light, Miya, and Misa stood around awkwardly.

"Uh, Ryuzaki," Light said slowly. "The commercial's almost over."

"Oh is that so?" L mumbled. Miya placed her hands on her hips.

"Yes Ryuzaki," she snapped as Matsuda's silhouette appeared on the screen again. "And unless you were planning on buying that lipstick I demand to know why you were licking your lips like that!" She crossed her arms as L looked back at her with unblinking eyes and she glared at him. He cracked the slightest smile, and Miya rolled her eyes and attempted to focus on what Matsuda was going on about.

"But if I give you any more details, I'm afraid the people who were there that night would realize which one of them is Kira, so I think I'd better leave it at that for now."

"Of course," Sakura's interviewer agreed. "Please take your time to tell us all the details of your ordeal to find Kira."

"Please put Higuchi's car on audio channel one and Sakura TV on channel two," L asked. The channels then changed as he directed and the group was now faced with an image of Higuchi in his car, watching the broadcast as he drove along.

"As expected, Higuchi's watching every minute of this from his car," Light pointed out.

"Seriously though why would you lick your lips like that?" Miya was still going on. This was not a good day for her and that was just one more thing to pluck her nerves. L turned back to her.

"Miya, rest assured you're lips are much more-"

"Lick-able?" Miya interrupted with a grin.

"I was going to say your lips are much more beautiful than Misa's but sure, whatever term works best for you."

"Hey!" Misa snapped, crossing her arms. Miya, however, looked satisfied with his compliment to her and insult to the model, so she focused her attention back on the broadcast.

"After I started investigating him," Matsuda was saying. "I found that there are two things Kira has to have in order to kill someone. There are rumors on TV and the internet as to what those two things might be, but I know the truth! But Kira only knows one of those two things about me, so that means I should be safe." Higuchi was looking panicked on the screen, and his next statement threw everyone off.

"Rem, what do you think?"

"Rem?" Light repeated. "Who's that? There's no one else in that car right? It's impossible for someone to be hiding without us knowing. He isn't using his cell phone. Could it be a hidden radio?" Miya was searching the screen for an indication of who he might be talking with, but there was nothing.

"No, there aren't any radios or other devices," L confirmed as he took a bite of his banana. "Only the box cameras and tracking beacons that Weddy placed. I have no doubt that she did a thorough job."

"Great, that means we're dealing with a potentially crazy man with an imaginary friend," Miya grumbled. "Though Misa kind of acted like she was talking to someone who wasn't there when she was in confinement…" she was thinking out loud in a very soft voice at this point, but she was certain L heard her. She wanted him to. He glanced back up at her with a slight nod as Higuchi continued.

"Do you think I'll get to Yoshida productions only to find his file isn't there?" he was saying.

"Is he talking to himself?" Light pondered.

"If this guy was smart he would destroy everything that connects him to his real name before he appeared on TV," Higuchi continued to ramble out loud to seemingly no one. "And don't you think it's just a little too reckless for Yoshida productions to just let me into their office unsupervised? Maybe not. If there was a robbery they'd figure out right away who did it since I know where the key is."

"This isn't sounding very good," Misa pointed out in a worried tone.

"He wouldn't just change his route now," Miya said. "He's got no other option but to go to Yoshida."

"He'll still go there," L confirmed. "Don't you worry."

"Even if he does have a file in Yoshida, it could be just another alias," Higuchi said before getting angry. "Damn it! I wouldn't put it past this guy to do something like that. No wonder he's confident."

"Alright, there's only one hour left until the big announcement!" Sakura TV broadcasted. Miya glanced to that screen to see that cursed lipstick commercial come on again, but thankfully L seemed be focused now on Higuchi's conversation with his invisible friend. She made an annoyed face at Misa's image licking her lips before turning back to listen.

"Yeah, I already know that much myself," Higuchi replied to no one. "But just to be on the safe side I should also kill the people I contacted at Yoshida Productions. That includes the president, Misa, and that manager of hers." Miya gasped slightly and looked to the blonde, who now looked scared.

"What?! No way!" Misa said with worry. "He's gonna kill me?"

"It's alright, don't worry," L reassured her. "He's talking about doing that after he's killed Matsuda. There'd be no point in killing the rest of you until he's gotten rid of the main threat."

"That's true," Light agreed. "But still…"

"Oh yeah!" Higuchi continued. "Rem, I didn't think you were so smart. Then I'll make them all erase their call histories before they die." Miya furrowed her eyebrows. This guy was not just talking to something invisible, he was taking advice from it.

"There's no way he can just be talking to himself, but who's Rem?" Light said rather loudly as he stood up in frustration. "Who is he talking to?!"

"If he's talking to someone right now," L said as he peeled another banana. "It could be...a Shinigami." Miya looked at him suddenly. He had just stated his opinion the other night that Shinigami couldn't be real, and yet there he was suggesting it. Miya figured she must have gotten through to him somehow. All her thoughts were scattered, however, as she observed her boyfriend taking a huge bite of his banana, chomping down on it as if it was the last banana on the planet.

"Wow, I was actually going to ask if I could have a bite but apparently not…" Miya trailed off. L reached back and handed her the small uneaten portion of his banana.

"By all means, take the rest," he offered. Miya took it gladly and put it in her mouth, realizing instantly why he had been eating it like that. Those damn bananas were delicious!

"No! I'd end up being ruined if I did that!" Higuchi was going on. "Even if I forgot the notebook this guy says he has concrete evidence to back it up! If he points out Yotsuba's recent growth on the air, no one would ever doubt his claims! They'd believe whatever he said. That means whoever he says is Kira will be marked as Kira! Even if he didn't have proof and I got rid of the evidence by returning the notebook, my life would be over. I wouldn't get promoted. I wouldn't even be able to stay with Yotsuba!"

"Geez, and to think Yotsuba wouldn't want a murderer in their company," Miya said sarcastically. This guy was so annoying, and Matsuda's suggestion on the TV to just turn himself in seemed reasonable. She knew that wouldn't happen, however, and so she prepared herself for action as Higuchi climbed from his car.

"He's arrived at Yoshida productions," Light stated obviously.

"The show's about to begin," L added, setting the mood for drama. They watched the screen as Higuchi entered the room through a code and headed over to the specified drawer, finding the file he needed. "Now Kira," L said in a low voice that Miya was certain only she could hear. "How do you kill? Show me…" Higuchi then pulled out a thin black notebook on the screen.

"We're in position and ready to take him down," Mogi's voice whispered through the computer. "We'll move on your command."

"Right," L replied as Higuchi jotted down the name on the file and proceeded to put it away and head for the door.

"He's not doing it!" Light yelled with frustration. "He just made a note of his name before leaving. So he's not gonna kill him here?"

"Ryuzaki, do you want us to apprehend him?" Mogi asked.

"Negative," L said officially. "We still don't know how he kills. Perhaps he's planning to do something once he's back in the car...Let's see camera one again." The view switched from an overhead of the red car to the inside, where Higuchi was sitting.

"It's weird," Light observed. "You'd think he'd be desperate to kill Matsuda this very second but he's calm."

"It is strange," L agreed. "If all he needed was the name then he should have simply taken the personnel file with him. But he just put it back in its drawer after taking the note." Matsuda was still going on with the Sakura broadcast, but all eyes were on Higuchi now.

"Damn! He didn't die!!!" the man yelled after a moment.

"What?" Miya asked, confused.

"What's he talking about?" Light wondered. "He said, 'he didn't die'…"

"Did he already try to kill Matsuda?" L asked aloud. "Was writing his name down all he had to do or was…" He trailed off, and Miya knew his head was spinning with thoughts, which she was fairly certain now involved the possibility of Shinigami.

"What do we do now?" Light asked. "Should we just continue watching what he's doing? What if he can cause a death by just imagining it?" L was still lost in thought and wasn't answering him.

"Agh! I don't have any time!" Higuchi yelled with frustration as the Sakura announcement drew closer to the close. He whipped out his cell phone and began pressing the numbers.

"He's making a phone call," Light pointed out. Miya couldn't help but think he was full of obvious statements today.

"It's probably Misa again," L said calmly. Sure enough, Misa's phone went off in a cheerful jingle that didn't quite fit the situation.

"Yup," the blonde confirmed, shutting her phone off. Higuchi looked lost on screen for a moment after throwing his cell phone in anger, when finally he spoke.

"Rem, let's make the deal," he said simply.

"The deal?" Light repeated. "Who is this Rem person he keeps talking to? Could it really be that Kira's power comes from another world or some being?"

"I really don't want to think that's the case," L said. Miya rubbed his shoulders. She could tell the idea of Shinigami was difficult for him, especially since it meant leaving behind all the rules that govern the natural world.

"Then what is this Rem?" Light wondered.

"A Shinigami?" L questioned again. "Whatever it is, we need to keep watching him. We'll learn nothing if we take him now. We may still be able to find out how he kills." Higuchi then broke out into a grin that made Miya shudder.

"It's like something big just happened to him…" Miya observed. Something had changed, the question was what? Higuchi then raced off in his car, and that was when voices started flooding the room.

"We're heading after him," Mogi's voice informed.

"This is bad," Weddy's voice added a few moments later. "Higuchi's been pulled over by a traffic cop. I'm gonna have to pass him and leave the pursuit to Aiber's team."

"Switch all screens to Higuchi's car!" L demanded. They watched as he dug for his license casually before jotting something down and taking off.

"Higuchi ditched the cop! He's driving away!" Mogi reported. After a few moments, Mogi's voice came in again. "Looks like the cop just rear ended that truck! He's dead!"

"He's dead?" Light repeated. "By accident?"

"This is very bad," L mumbled.

"You can say that again…" Miya muttered.

"Rem...a deal…" Light was saying, obviously stuck on what that could be.

"Everyone!" L commanded. "It's too dangerous to allow further action by Higuchi! Let's bring him in! I believe he has the same powers as the second Kira. He is able to kill just by looking at someone's face. Please keep this in mind when you move in to arrest him." Miya took a deep breath. Things sure were getting intense.


	24. Shinigami

**Chapter 24: Shinigami**

"Hello?" Miya said stepping away from the monitor as L had Watari connect him to the director of the NPA.

"Miya, sweetheart, I'm sorry. That was out of line," Miya's mother instantly began apologizing. "I should not have said that earlier."

"Busy mom," Miya said quickly before clicking the phone shut. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She could hear L making the arrangements to have Matsuda and the interviewer be switched with the dummies and recordings that had been prepared, and finally she was focused enough on work to turn around.

"So then, Light," L was saying, standing up in his chair. "What's say we go and join the fun as well?

"Yeah," Light agreed as L made his way around to where Misa was.

"I'm coming too," Miya said. Light looked at her skeptically.

"Sorry to say anything, but you're pregnant," Light pointed out. Miya rolled her eyes.

"Geez, is every guy under the impression that pregnant women can do nothing for nine months but sit at home?" she asked sarcastically.

"Ah Light," L chuckled. "Funny you'd make that assumption, but no, at Miya's stage she can do nearly anything. It is perfectly safe for her to travel, which means she can certainly join us in the helicopter." Miya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"You actually read a book about pregnancy?" she asked. "I thought you were joking! When did you even find the time?"

"I'm very time efficient," L replied as he handcuffed Misa. "I'm sorry to do this Misa but I'm going to have to make sure you're restrained for a while." He wasn't joking either, as the handcuffs were just a small part of the restraints that now held her to the chair.

"What?!" Misa protested. "But that's...stop joking around!"

"Bye Misa!" Miya taunted cheerfully as they all left the room. She couldn't help it! Misa had annoyed her every chance she got and so Miya couldn't let the opportunity to be obnoxious pass her by. L looked back at her disapprovingly.

"Miya, don't taunt her," he scolded.

"Oh, like you didn't want to!" Miya defended. He smiled just the slightest as they continued to their means of travel.

* * *

"I didn't realize you could pilot a helicopter," Light said once they were off the ground. "That's incredible!" Light and L were in the front, L at the controls, and Miya was in the back, next to Watari. This was another rare moment that Miya got to see him and she hoped she would have the chance to get to know the only other trusted person in L's life a little better when this was all over.

"Well, you can figure it out with intuition," L said casually as Miya watched the very sweet old man arm himself with some serious weaponry. L's statement caught her off guard however.

"I'm sorry," Miya interjected. "Did you just say you're flying this helicopter on intuition? As in you've never flown one before? Because knowledge and intuition are totally different…"

"Higuchi isn't going to Sakura TV," Light pointed out, completely ignoring her. "He's headed the wrong way."

"Don't worry," Watari assured her. "Ryuzaki is an expert in many things without even trying."

"True…" Miya agreed as L continued.

"Based on his route I'd say he's going to the Yotsuba main office." Miya couldn't help but notice how hot he looked in his microphone headset as he paged Weddy. This was totally the wrong time to be distracted, but she found herself almost drooling. "Come in Weddy. Have you removed absolutely everything relating to Matsuda at the Yotsuba headquarters?"

"Yeah, why is he headed there now?" she responded. "Isn't that convenient? That should give me more than enough time to go ahead and meet up with Mr. Yagami to set up the ambush." Light was observing Higuchi's location, and soon he paged in his father.

"Dad, Higuchi's left Yotsuba. He's on his way to Sakura TV. He'll be there in less than fifteen minutes. Are you ready?"

"I don't need my son asking if I'm ready," Mr. Yagami replied. "Of course I am." Mogi's voice was the next to be heard. Miya wondered just how many communication lines they could possibly have going at once.

"We've arrived at Sakura TV," Mogi reported. "We're moving into position." Miya waited anxiously. Things were getting really intense and so when Mogi's voice finally buzzed in, Miya jumped in surprise.

"L, Higuchi has a gun on him. The chief's been shot! Higuchi's escaping!" Miya gasped, jumping to the worst possible conclusion, when thankfully Mr. Yagami spoke.

"I'm alright," he said. "Sorry Ryuzaki. If we pursue him right now we can still catch him. Hurry."

"This is bad," Light said, his eyes fixed on the screen. "He's escaped from Sakura TV."

"This leaves us no choice," L said. "We'll have to move in and apprehend him. Watari are you ready?"

"Yes," Watari replied. Miya was amazed by this old man who was holding the gun like an expert. He was much more intimidating than Miya had originally thought.

"Light," L said, holding out a gun between his index finger and his thumb. "I think you should hold onto this for self defense. This is Kira we're after."

"No thanks. Firearms aren't allowed in Japan," Light responded, denying the weapon.

"You know, I'm sure your father would say the exact same thing," L said.

"I'll take it," Miya said quickly. "Sorry but law or no law, if Kira comes at me, I wanna be prepared."

"Please be careful," L said, turning around quickly and handing her the weapon. Miya held it for a moment before deciding she didn't want it. It just felt too official, and it was a bit scary. She set it in a safe spot beside her just in case, but she sure hoped she wouldn't have to use it. She looked down on the highway to see Higuchi's car being blocked off by a load of police cars.

"What's happening?" Watari wondered, obviously caught off guard. "I thought we told the police not to get involved with the arrest?"

"We did," Miya said.

"The only one who would do this is…" Light said.

"Yes, you must be right," L agreed.

"Aizawa," Miya said blankly, looking down at the scene. The spotlight from the helicopter shown down on Higuchi's car, obviously sending the trapped man into further panic. He tried to drive away, but was blocked off and instead swerved into the wall. Miya winced and turned away at the crash.

"Stay back! Stay back or I'll shoot! I swear!" Miya heard him say. She looked back down to see Higuchi holding a gun to his own head. The next thing Miya knew, Watari had fired a shot right at Higuchi's gun, sending it flying from his hand. He had nothing left to do as the cops corned him.

"It's over," Light said.

"Yes, it's over," L agreed.

"Finally," Miya breathed, standing up and placing her hands on L's shoulders. Though as she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, she felt certain that this chase for Kira was definitely not over.

* * *

"Higuchi, how are you able to kill people?" L was demanding from the helicopter. "Tell me." L, Miya, Light, and Watari had watched from the helicopter as Higuchi was surrounded and forced to get out of the car with his hands up. He was then handcuffed, blindfolded, and given a headset through which he could hear L. Miya could hear the frustration in L's voice as he spoke. She knew he wanted more than anything to know how Kira was able to kill. L poured coffee as he continued. "If you're not going to talk, I'll use whatever means necessary to get it out of you."

"The notebook…" Higuchi finally admitted. Miya furrowed her eyebrows. Was he talking about the one he'd written in at Yoshida?

"Notebook?" L repeated.

"You probably won't believe me but I've got a special notebook. If I write someone's name in it while thinking of their face, that person dies." Miya was surprised by Higuchi's answer. Was this case honestly taking a turn to another realm?

"Mr. Yagami," L commanded.

"Yeah, I found it," Mr. Yagami's voice buzzed in. "It was in one of the compartments of Higuchi's bag. He has written a lot of names in it but there doesn't seem to be anything else unusual about it."

"Is Higuchi bluffing?" Miya wondered. It was then that Mr. Yagami started screaming. Miya whipped her head to the side to see him out the window lying on the ground.

"What's wrong with him?" Miya said, slightly panicked. "He's freaking out!"

"What is it Mr. Yagami?" L asked curiously.

"It's...a monster!" Mr. Yagami managed to choke back.

"Please calm down," L said. "Don't panic. Remember, you're not currently armed to defend yourself." Mr. Yagami looked so freaked out, and Miya was starting to feel afraid herself. What was going on?

"Uh...uh yeah right, of course…" the chief's voice said. Miya looked out the window as Mogi approached. He looked calm for a moment as he spoke to Mr. Yagami before starting to scream as well.

"What is happening?" Miya gasped, coming around to where L sat. She found herself scared for some reason and so she managed to slide herself into the pilot's seat right next to him. She wasn't sure how she managed to fit, as the helicopter didn't have much room to begin with, but having L right beside her made her feel a little better.

"Don't worry," L muttered to her as Light spoke.

"Mogi, what's wrong?"

"That thing…" Mr. Yagami sputtered. "It seems...only people who have t-touched the notebook can see...this, this monster…"

"What do they mean 'monster'?" Miya wondered with wide eyes.

"Please bring the notebook over to the helicopter," L instructed.

"Uh…okay," Mogi said, standing up carefully and walking toward the helicopter. He leaned in the window and passed the notebook over Miya to L. "Here it is Ryuzaki." L grasped the thin black notebook between his fingers and shifted his glance to where Mr. Yagami and Mogi had been. "It really is...a Shinigami," he said quietly. "They really, do, exist…" Miya gasped. A Shinigami? They'd been discussing the possibility, but really? She had to find out for herself. L was obviously lost in thought, so Miya reached out hesitantly and touched the notebook, which she noticed had the words 'Death Note' scrolled across the front. She then slowly turned to look out the window.

"What the hell is that?!" she half yelled, pulling her hand back. In front of her eyes was the strangest creature she had ever seen. It was tall, towering over everyone, and looked as though it was made of bones. "Oh my God…" she gasped, turning her face into L's shoulder. If that was a Shinigami, it was more horrifying than she would have thought.

"Ryuzaki, come on, let me see it," Light begged. He took the notebook and was silent for a moment before letting out a huge scream. Miya jerked her head up to see him panting wildly, the notebook in his hands.

"Uh...are you okay Light?" L asked slowly. "I suppose seeing that monster would surprise anyone."

'Yeah it would…' Miya thought. 'But not that much…' Light suddenly looked different to her, but she couldn't pinpoint why. She felt like L was thinking the same thing.

"Ryuzaki?" Light finally said.

"What is it?"

"I wanna check this out," Light continued. "I'm gonna try comparing the names written in this notebook with the names of the victims."

"Huh, oh right…" L agreed. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea." L was staring at Light, and Miya could have sworn she saw Light grin. Something was going on. She turned her attention away from him, however, as L spoke.

"Mr. Yagami, please take Higuchi to the car."

"Uh, right, of course," Mr. Yagami agreed. They began walking to the car with Higuchi, who looked defeated.

"You know, about this notebook, I wonder what we would find if we put it through forensic analysis," Light asked.

"That doesn't sound like you Light," L pointed out. "We both know this thing is beyond science."

"Way beyond science…" Miya said, looking back at the hideous Shinigami before her.

"Yeah, you're right," Light agreed. Higuchi was almost to the car when he suddenly stopped, throwing his head back in pain.

"Ryuzaki, Higuchi's…!" Someone yelled through the intercom. Miya didn't know who it was. She was too shocked to focus.

"What the hell?" Light yelled, voicing everyone's reaction. "What's happening?"

"Hey, Higuchi!" Someone yelled. Mr. Yagami maybe? Miya's head was spinning.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Light demanded. "We can't lose him. If Higuchi dies on us now…!"

"It's impossible...eh, wh...there's nothing I can do," Mr. Yagami replied. "He's already…"

"Dead…" Miya whispered. L was staring out the window in shock, and Miya buried her head back in his shoulder. How did that just happen? They had the notebook right? No…Light had it. But could that mean? No, he never wrote a thing down. There had to be another explanation. A second notebook maybe? That had to be it. Miya lifted her head back up and looked toward the Shinigami whom she assumed must be Higuchi's invisible friend Rem. If there was another notebook, that meant there was another Shinigami. Things were getting scarier by the moment.

* * *

"What a long day…" Miya sighed as she flopped down onto her bed, not even bothering to get changed into her pajamas.

"Tired?" L wondered as he appeared in her doorway. Miya gasped and sat back up, her hand to her chest in surprise.

"Please don't scare me like that…" she breathed. "I can't take any more surprises today."

"I'm sorry," L apologized, walking over to her and reaching his hand out to touch her cheek. "Today was full of surprises, wasn't it?"

"Hmm, saw a Shinigami and caught a killer who only has to write people's names in notebooks," Miya chuckled slightly. "Yeah I'd say so…" L bent over further and kissed her forehead before stepping away from her and pacing the room. Miya watched him curiously.

"We should celebrate," she concluded. "You, me, and Noah."

"This isn't over," L said slowly.

"I know," Miya sighed. "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate the small steps along the way." L turned to face her.

"I think there may be more than one notebook," he said.

"Me too," Miya nodded. "At least two." L smiled slightly.

"Well, it appears we're on the same page here," he said. Miya nodded.

"So ice cream?" she wondered.

"Hmm?"

"I was thinking we should get ice cream," she said. "Sometime soon with Noah." L nodded slightly, and Miya stood up and walked over to him.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you," she said, reaching out and rubbing his shoulders before sliding her arms around his neck. "You need to relax."

"Ice cream sounds good," he agreed with a sigh. "Where is Noah anyway?" Miya's face dropped and L looked at her curiously. "Something wrong?"

"He's with my parents…" she groaned. "Mom and I kinda got in a fight earlier."

"A fight?" L repeated. "Over what?"

"Well, Noah let it slip that I'm pregnant," she sighed. "And mom started judging me like she knows everything." Miya started to get a little teary, and she pulled away from him. "I have to call them. I told them I'd pick Noah up after work but it's so late. I really don't want to speak to her either."

"I don't understand," L said. "You usually get along well with your parents."

"Yeah well , my mother doesn't usually call me a slut," Miya shrugged. L's eyes widened.

"She called you…"

"Basically," Miya said as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be a drama queen here. It'll blow over soon." L hesitated a moment before walking over to her and pulling her toward him. Miya buried her head in his chest as a few sobs she'd been avoiding all day escaped her lips. Finally Miya pulled away and wiped her face. "I'm sorry," she half laughed. "Didn't mean to get all emotional on you. It's probably the pregnancy hormones." She reached for the phone, but L took it from her hand.

"Is it me?" he wondered. "Is your mother upset because of me?"

"She just doesn't see what I see," Miya replied. "I think she's assuming it will be like the last time." L nodded slightly and looked down at the phone in his hand. Before Miya could stop him he had dialed a number and held it to his ear.

"Mrs. Yamaguchi?" he said after a moment.

"Um, yes who's this?" Miya heard her mother reply.

"This is Hideki Ryuga," he said. "How are you?" Miya put her hand to her forehead. What was he doing?

"Oh…" she said slowly. "Well, do you happen to know where Miya is? She was supposed to come pick Noah up."

"Yes, that's why I'm calling," L said. "She just got back and was hoping you could keep Noah overnight."

"Yes, that's fine," Miya's mother said. "I suppose you calling means she doesn't want to speak to me?"

"Actually I called for a purpose," L explained. "I intend to make it clear to you of my intentions with your daughter."

"Um…alright, this should be good," her mother mumbled.

"Yes well, I am well aware of what happened with Noah's father, as well as your feelings about me," L informed. "However I would like to assure you that I care deeply for not only Miya, but Noah as well, and I plan to be here for both of them."

"And you're just willing to take on that responsibility?"

"Yes," L answered confidently. "I plan on adopting Noah and being the best father I can for both he and Oxford." Miya rolled her eyes. It was all sounding so amazing up until he mentioned that stupid name. Miya's mother didn't seem to notice it though as she continued.

"Well Ryuga that's wonderful, if you mean it," she said. "But I don't know you. All I know is that my daughter apparently trusts you as well as my grandson. So you just stick around and be a good father like you say you plan to be and everything will be fine with me."

"That sounds reasonable," L agreed, placing his lip to his thumb.

"Okay well, thanks for calling," Mrs. Yamaguchi said politely. "And please," she said, now sounding much less serious. "Tell Miya I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said. She's everything to me, she knows that."

"She knows," L assured her. "Nice speaking with you Mrs. Yamaguchi." He clicked the phone shut and handed it back to Miya.

"Your mother is sorry," he said. Miya took it from him and smiled.

"You didn't have to do that," she said.

"Yes I did," L said simply. Miya sighed and ran her hand through her hair, pulling it out of her eyes.

"I guess I'll talk to her tomorrow then," Miya sighed. She stood up and stretched, glancing in the mirror.

"Oh, I need a shower," she grumbled after catching sight of her messy hair. She headed toward the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom, pulling her shirt over her head as she went.

"I'll be here," L said, perching himself on the bed as he watched her go. Miya disappeared for a moment before returning, a mischievous look on her face.

"Aren't you taking a shower?" L wondered as Miya reached him and pulled him off the bed.

"Well…" Miya mumbled before pressing her lips to his, sliding her hands under his shirt. "I've had a bad day and could use some cheering up…" she mumbled against his lips, "And you need to relax, so I figure…" she pulled away for a moment, dragging his shirt over his head. "…why not take you with me?"

She laced her arms around his neck for a moment before sliding a hand down his chest and grabbing the waist of his pants, pulling him backward toward the bathroom without breaking the kiss. They had managed to shed their clothing by the time they reached the shower, which Miya had already started. The steam filled the bathroom as she pulled back the curtain, stepping in and dragging L after her. Miya felt the cold tile wall against her back as L's hot hands grasped her sides. He leaned toward her, the steaming water running off his face and down his chest, closing the space between them. L was fairly certain she had planned this supposedly spontaneous event, but he couldn't say he minded. It certainly was one way to relax.


	25. Rules

**Chapter 25: Rules**

Miya stood hesitantly outside her parent's door. She wasn't quite sure what to say to her mother yet. She just wanted yesterday's conversation to go away so she could be happy again. Everything else in her life was going great. The investigation was moving along, she was falling more in love with L every second, there was a baby on the way, and L was adopting Noah. The only thing left now was to make peace with her mother.

She knocked on the door after a few more moments of stalling and was relieved to see her dad answer.

"Hey sweetheart," he said cheerfully as he opened the door. "How are you? Working hard?"

"You know it," Miya laughed. Her dad smiled warmly back at her.

"Now, what's this I hear about a new grandkid on the way?" he asked. Miya smiled.

"Yeah that's right," she said.

"Is Ryuga taking good care of you?" he asked seriously.

"Definitely," she nodded.

"Alright then," he said with a smile. Miya chuckled and gave her dad a hug, thankful that he wasn't giving her a hard time, and he bear-hugged her back.

"Mom around?" she asked once her father had released her.

"In the kitchen with Noah," he answered. Miya nodded and headed in there to see Noah at the table, finishing a bowl of cereal. Her mother was sitting across from him.

"Mommy!" he giggled excitedly when he saw her.

"Hi baby," she said, heading to the table and sitting down. "Go ahead and finish your breakfast," she added. Noah nodded and shoved a big bite of cereal in his mouth, chomping it happily. Miya then looked to her mom.

"I'm so sorry," her mother began first. "About yesterday. You know I don't think that about you, right? Things happen. I know that."

"I know mom," Miya sighed. "It's okay. I want to move past this."

"Me too," her mother said. "And I want you to know that I respect what Ryuga did last night. He didn't have to call me but he did. I'm willing to give him a chance."

"That's all I'm asking," Miya said. "I know he comes off a little…different…at first but I promise you he is the best person I've ever met." Miya's mother reached over and placed her hand over her daughters.

"I'm glad," she said. "I haven't seen you look like that in a while."

"Like what?" Miya laughed.

"Happy, I guess," her mother said. Miya smiled.

"I am," she agreed.

"Now…about something else…" Her mother began slowly. "I've had time to think about what Ryuga said and I have to know. Um, what's this about the name Oxford?" Miya got a pained expression on her face.

"Isn't it awful?" she sighed. "Hideki wants to name the baby that if it's a boy. Our poor child…"

"I like it!" Noah encouraged. Miya groaned and laid her head down on the table.

"Great…two against one…" she mumbled against the wood.

"Well maybe it will be a girl," Miya's mother said hopefully.

"He'll probably just want to name her Oxfordia," Miya sighed, lifting her head back up.

"Well, Oxford isn't so bad…" her mother said with as straight a face as she could muster. "At least it's not Aloysius or something like that." Miya couldn't help but laugh. What was with that bad name alternative? She then glanced to the clock before looking to Noah. "Ready baby?"

"Yeah," Noah said, hopping up and carefully carrying his milk bowl to the sink. He made it without dripping any milk and turned around happily. "Do we get to see Mr. Panda today?"

"We'll see," Miya smiled. She held her hand out to him and he took it.

"Bye mom," Miya said as she headed out of the kitchen. "I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart," she said. "Bye Noah!"

"Bye Gama!" he called, "By Gampa!"

"Bye," Miya heard her father call before closing the door. She and Noah made it about halfway down the road when Noah realized they weren't heading for home.

"Day care again?" Noah pouted. "I wanna go see Mr. Panda!"

"I'm sorry baby but we've got some really serious stuff going on today and I can't let you come with me." Miya felt awful, but having her son around with a Shinigami was terrible, even if he couldn't see it.

"I neva see you no more," Noah complained. That just made Miya feel worse.

"I know," she sighed. "But guess what?"

"What?" Noah said.

"Me and Ryuzaki are going to take you out for ice cream sometime soon," she said. Noah's eyes widened with excitement.

"Oh boy!" he said. "Today?"

"Probably not today but soon," she answered. Noah giggled and clapped his hands. They had reached the day care and he pulled Miya through the door, apparently eager to share the news.

"Ms. Nani guess what!" he said to the first teacher he saw. She was a tall woman with long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. "Mommy and my new daddy are taking me to get ice cream."

"His new daddy?" Ms. Nani said as he scampered off to play with the other kids. "Ooh, do you have a new guy Miya?"

"Yeah," Miya admitted.

"Well good for you! You'll have to bring him by sometime."

"Sure," Miya said with a smile before leaving. She wasn't so sure when that little meeting would happen, however.

* * *

Miya stared up at the screen and watched Misa as she read a magazine. The blonde was so calm, but it was probably because she was completely out of the loop. She turned around to face Aizawa who had picked up the notebook and squeaked in surprise when she saw the Shinigami standing there. She had forgotten it was there and it caught her completely by surprise.

"Are you alright?" L asked her. He was looking up at her and watched as she placed a hand on her chest.

"Sorry," she said. "I keep forgetting it's there. It scares me every time."

L nodded. "Yes…it is rather frightening…" He then faced the computer screen again, completely lost in thought. Miya knew he was trying to figure everything out.

"How to use it," Aizawa said. His voice broke through the silence as he began reading the instructions from the notebook. "It says the human whose name is written in this notebook shall die. This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name, therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected. If the cause of death is written within forty seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen. If the cause of death in not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack." Miya's eyes widened.

"Wow, these are pretty heavy rules…" she commented. "This is so creepy."

"It just gets better," Aizawa said sarcastically before continuing reading the instructions. "After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next six minutes and forty seconds. As well, the back cover has more instructions on how to use it." Aizawa flipped to the back of the book and scanned the words before reiterating them. "There are two more rules. One of them is: if you make this note unusable by tearing it up or burning it, all the humans that have touched the note till then shall die."

Miya gasped and covered her mouth in shock.

"What?!" Matsuda yelled suddenly. He looked as nervous as Miya. "Is that really true Aizawa?"

Aizawa sighed. "Yeah, that's what it says."

"No way! This sucks! Why didn't you tell me before I touched it?!"

"How was I supposed to know?" Aizawa asked defensively.

Matsuda looked depressed now. "Aw man! Maybe I shouldn't have let my curiosity about seeing a Shinigami get the better of me!" Miya agreed with him one hundred percent. Damn that curious feeling!

Mr. Yagami turned to Matsuda and gave him a stern look. "Maybe, but then you would be the only one in the investigation who didn't know what we were dealing with. Is that what you want?"

Mr. Yagami was right. Even though she hated looking at the Shinigami all the time, it really was better that she saw it. She was now glad she hadn't openly agreed with Matsuda.

"No, of course not," Matsuda replied. "I wanna be on the same page as everyone on the task force chief."

Aizawa turned back to the notebook and read. "And then, there's this last rule. According to these instructions at the bottom of the back of the notebook, if the person using the note fails to consecutively write names of people to be killed within thirteen days of each other, then the user will die."

Something clicked in Matsuda's head. "Wait a second! If that's true, then that means Light and Misa Misa are completely cleared, doesn't it?"

"Now that you mention it," Aizawa said, "that's right. Light and Misa were detained for more than fifty days and are still under surveillance. If either of them had been Kira, there's no way that they'd still be alive by now.

Matsuda turned to face Mr. Yagami with a big smile on his face. "Wow, that's great news! Isn't it chief?"

"Yeah," Mr. Yagami breathed in relief.

Miya wasn't so relieved, however. L's entire case depended on the fact that Light was Kira. If he really was just innocent based on the Thirteen Day Rule, then L would have been wrong this entire time. Miya turned to look at L but his face was completely blank. She couldn't read his emotions and she had a feeling he wanted it that way.

"Rem, was it?" L asked suddenly. "That's your name, isn't it? The white thing over there."

L sudden question made Miya nervous. Didn't he realize he was talking very disrespectfully to a death god, for goodness sake?

"Ryuzaki, isn't it a bit rude to go around calling someone a 'white thing'?" Matsuda asked.

The Shinigami, Rem, turned to him and glared. Miya shuddered under Rem's gaze. "What do you want?" she asked.

"There's more than one notebook in the human world, isn't there?" L asked.

"Who knows?" Rem responded. "There may be and there may not be."

"If there are other notebooks, either here or in your world, would they all have the same rules as this one?" Miya should have known. L didn't want to surrender to that damned Thirteen Day Rule either.

Rem's answer was mechanical. "Yes, they are all the same. There are many notebooks in the Shinigami realm, but they all have the same rules. Even the rules from when humans obtain them."

Although Miya was on L's side of the matter, Aizawa and the others didn't like how L kept pursuing the matter. "Ryuzaki," Aizawa started, "Miss Amane and Light have both been cleared of suspicion. They shouldn't be under surveillance any longer."

"That's right! It's crystal clear!" Matsuda added.

L paused for a moment. He had been stacking small creamer containers together while he thought. He went to put one more on top of his tower but hesitated. "I suppose you're right." Miya could just feel her heart breaking. She had never seen him this defeated before and she didn't like it one bit. "I understand. Please, accept my apologies for all the trouble."

"Thank goodness," Mr. Yagami sighed.

"Yeah, but we still can't say that we've solved the case until we've figured out everything," Light stated. "Would it be alright if I kept investigating with you without the handcuffs on?"

"Yes," L replied quietly.

* * *

"Well I have to go pick up Noah," Miya announced. She stood up and was almost out the door when an idea struck her.

"Ryuzaki do you want to come?" she wondered, walking back over to him.

"I can't leave now," he replied.

"Sure you can," Miya said. "You've been going over the notebook all day and you need a break from that scary Shinigami. Oh, no offense Rem…"

"Miya," L sighed.

"The whole team is here," Miya said, nodding to the group behind her. "Watari will keep watch of everything, right Watari?"

"Yes," he said back. "Go ahead if you'd like, Ryuzaki."

"I'm just not sure…" L trailed off.

"We can get ice cream," she persuaded. "Over twenty flavors to choose from." L thought for a moment.

"Notify me if there are any changes," L commanded the team.

"We're on top of it," Mr. Yagami said.

"Yeah, have a good time!" Matsuda encouraged with a grin. L hopped out of his chair and Miya smiled.

"I love it when you ditch work."

"Don't get used to it," L advised. "It doesn't happen very often." Miya rolled her eyes and took his hand, pulling him from the room and away from the investigation.


	26. Story

A/N: Hi guys! Just have to say, lots of L/Miya/Noah family fluff going on in here! Hope you guys like it. And also, we're posting a one shot that takes place between this chapter and the next one kinda. It's called _Perfect_ and it's about L's trip to the doctor's with Miya for her first ultrasound. I'm posting it after this chapter so you should go check it out! It's adorable and you won't want to miss it! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 26: Story**

"If only we could get our hands on another notebook," L was saying. "I would like to verify the rules from the one we currently have."

"You think some aren't real?" she wondered.

"I'm not sure…" L mused, bringing his free hand to his face to place his thumb to his lip. His other hand was laced with Miya's.

"This is it," Miya said when they reached the day care. She led him inside and headed down the short hallway to the room where Noah was. She walked inside, Ryuzaki right behind her.

"Noah," she said. The boy turned around and instantly lit up.

"Mr. Panda!" He yelled, completely passing Miya by and jumping into L's arms. He wasn't expecting that, and he nearly dropped him in his surprise. "Are we gonna get ice cweam?" L nodded as the teacher known as Ms. Nani smiled.

"Hi there," she said to L. "You must be Mr. Panda. Have to say, we've heard a lot about you today."

"Nice to meet you," L said quickly as Noah began telling him about his day. Ms. Nani looked to Miya with a grin and leaned toward her.

"Nice," she whispered. "If you don't mind me saying so, he is hot!"

"I know, right?" Miya laughed, looking to L. Actually she was surprised. Most people didn't think L was hot right away. In fact, she didn't even think he was. But now that she knew him she couldn't see him any other way.

* * *

"Mommy, can I have as many scoops as him?" Noah asked hopefully as L ordered yet another bowl with all twenty flavors stacked high.

"Two scoops," Miya answered raising two fingers to indicate the number.

"No fair," Noah pouted, straining to see the ice cream through the glass. Miya already had her ice cream, and L turned to her.

"Why don't you find us a table?" he suggested. "I'll help Noah out with ordering."

"Two scoops," she warned him again as she walked away. L nodded and lifted the boy up to see the flavors.

"Pick two," he said.

"Chocolate and vanilla!" Noah said excitedly. "But I wish I could have as much as you."

"I have a plan," L said as the man behind the counter started scooping the ice cream. "You just have to agree not to let your mother know."

"I promise!" Noah said excitedly as L began to explain. Miya was waiting patiently at the table for them when they finished, L carrying his huge bowl and Noah carrying his small one. They sat down across from Miya and began eating.

"You sure are eating slow Ryuzaki," Miya noted after a few minutes.

"I'm savoring the flavors," L replied casually. Miya couldn't see, but he nudged Noah in the side to start phase one of the plan.

"Mommy, I need a napkin," Noah said quickly. Miya nodded and stood up, heading back to the counter. L then quickly replaced the small boy's eaten scoop with a new one from his bowl just as Miya turned around with napkins.

"There you go," she said, handing her son one. "Wait, I thought you ate your first scoop?"

"Nope still got two!" Noah giggled. "I'm flavor the savvy like Mr. Panda!" Miya giggled at his attempt to repeat L's words, forgetting all about his ice cream. The conversations continued as L waited for Noah to finish another scoop. When he did, L looked to Miya casually.

"Miya could you possibly hand me those sprinkles on the counter over there?" L wondered. "I would get them myself but then Noah would have to get up."

"No problem I'll get them," Miya said. "I would hate for you to be deprived of your sugar." She stood up and headed to the counter as L quickly transferred another scoop to Noah's bowl. Miya returned with a suspicious look on her face.

"I swear Noah only had a scoop left," Miya said, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Mommy you silly," Noah giggled, taking a big bite of his ice cream. Miya sat down and passed L the sprinkles, looking at him and his ice cream suspiciously.

"I'm onto you…" she said.

"I have no idea what you mean," L replied as he shook the sprinkles over his ice cream.

"I want some!" Noah cheered. L leaned over and shook some on his ice cream, which he had already brought back down to a scoop. That little guy sure could eat.

"Mommy…" Noah said slowly, grinning at L, "I need wata!"

"Okay…" Miya said slowly. "But I'm looking you have one scoop left…" she noted before turning and heading to the counter.

"Quick eat it from my bowl," L coached as he watched Miya order from the corner of his eye. Noah didn't hesitate and dug into the huge helping of flavors. Miya turned around as Noah stopped, but she caught sight of what was going on.

'Those little sneaks…' she thought to herself. She purposely left the water bottle on the counter and walked about halfway to the table. "Oh no I forgot the water!" she laughed, turning quickly. She gave it a second, and then whipped back around unexpectedly, catching Noah digging into L's ice cream.

"Gotcha!" she yelled. "Ryuzaki you are in big trouble!" She jogged back to grab the water she'd left behind.

"Enjoy your last bites," L suggested. Noah smiled and took one more big scoop, shoving it into his mouth happily. Miya then returned to the table and looked at the dark haired man accusingly.

"You are an ice cream scoop accomplice," she said, crossing her arms.

"Sweets help the brain. I'm doing him a favor," L responded, taking a bite.

* * *

"Mommy I don't feel good…" Noah grumbled on the way home. He was in between L and Miya, holding each of their hands. Miya glanced to L, whose eyes were wide with guilt.

"I wonder why that could be…" Miya trailed off, shooting L an 'I told you so glance.'

"I'm sorry…" he mumbled under his breath. Miya laughed.

"It's okay. You and Noah had fun. He'll be okay soon, right Noah?"

"Right," Noah said. "I'm sleepy too."

"We're almost there," L pointed out. Noah looked up at him with big eyes.

"Are you gonna tuck me in?"

"If you'd like," L replied.

"Yes!" Noah answered automatically. "You gonna do this every night! Is that okay Mr. Panda?"

"I'm looking forward to it," L said simply. Noah seemed very happy with this answer, and so when they reached headquarters he ran up to the elevator quickly, pulling Miya and L behind him. They rode to the floor of Miya's apartment and headed to Noah's room. He grabbed his pajamas from his drawer, running from the room to change.

"I'm sorry I made him sick…" L apologized again. Miya wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Stop worrying he's fine now," she assured him. "You worry way too much, you know that?"

"Hmm, do I?" L wondered. Miya nodded and leaned up to him, their lips meeting gently.

"Ew…" Noah giggled when he came back into the room. Miya dropped her arms back down to her sides, slightly embarrassed. L's face didn't change, however, so Miya wasn't sure how he felt about the situation. Noah didn't seem as disgusted as he'd let on however, and he ran up to L and grabbed his hand, pulling him along to the bed. Noah then hopped in and waited patiently for L to tuck him in.

"Can you tell me a stowy?" Noah asked as L pulled the blanket over him and handed him his Panda.

"Uh…sure," L replied. "About what?"

"Detectives!" Noah requested excitedly. L perched himself on the edge of Noah's bed, bringing his knees to his chest and placing his thumb to his lip in thought.

"On August 14, 1994," L began officially. "A detective named Yoshi appeared at the scene of a crime." Miya furrowed her eyebrows. She had absolutely no idea if this was a fictional tale or not. "Yoshi was a brilliant thinker with a sharp mind and quick instincts to go with it."

"Mr. Panda?" Noah interrupted.

"Yes?" L asked.

"You never told a stowy to a kid before have you?"

"No, I have to admit I have not," L replied. Noah grinned.

"I tell you one instead, okay?" he suggested. "Then next time you know what to do!"

"Alright, go ahead," L agreed, focusing his attention to listen.

"Once upon a time," Noah began. "There was a detective named Rocky!" Miya smiled slightly as her son continued. "He was the bestest detective ever, and he caught all the bad guys!"

"I see…" L mused.

"Yeah, and he met a princess named mommy," he continued. "And then he met her son Moah!" Miya chuckled. Noah always changed around someone's name to disguise the real life characters in his stories.

"You don't say." L said intrigued by this story that was unfolding.

"Yeah, and then the princess falled in love with the detective, and the detective loved her back! And they fought bad guys together, and Moah helped cause he was a good detective too!"

"Then what?" L wondered.

"Then the detective and the princess called the stork, and he said he was gonna give 'em a baby! And you know the very best part?"

"What's that?" L asked.

"The detective told Moah he was gonna be his new daddy!" Noah finished excitedly. "Then the baby came and his name was Oxfy, and everyone lived happily ever after! The end! What do you think?"

"That was much better than my story," L answered with a slight smile.

"And guess what?" Noah whispered, sitting up in his bed and leaning toward L. "It's a twue stowy!"

"Those are the best kind," L replied. Noah looked at him for a moment with a smile and then wrapped his little arms around the detective, who patted his back gently.

"I'm glad you gonna be my new daddy," Noah told L as he hugged him. "I can tell all my fwiends at school how cool you are and how you're the best daddy ever." He let go of L and laid back down, snuggling with his panda. "Mr. Panda?" Noah asked as L stood up.

"Yes?" L wondered.

"Are you glad you gonna be my daddy?"

"Yes," L answered, thinking of what Noah had just said. "And then I can tell everyone on my team how proud I am to have you as my son." Miya felt herself getting a little emotional as she watched this.

"Night daddy…" Noah sighed, almost asleep.

"Goodnight son," L said quietly, walking to the door and following Miya out. She wiped her eyes quickly before turning to him.

"Something wrong?" L asked, concerned.

"No," Miya said. "Nothing actually." L looked at her curiously for a moment before switching subjects.

"Are you tired?" he wondered. Miya shrugged.

"A little. Let's go lay down." She grabbed L's hand and headed to the bedroom, lying down next to him. She wasted no time snuggling close to him, taking in his sweet scent as she took a deep breath.

"I hope you had a good time today," Miya said to him. "I know the thirteen day rule is bothering you."

"It is," L admitted. "But I'm glad I got to spend that time with you and Noah. I look forward to many days like this in the future."

"Definitely," Miya agreed, turning to lean over him. "Noah and I are so lucky, you know that?"

"I think you've got it backwards," L pointed out. Miya leaned in to kiss him, sliding her arms around his neck. He kissed her back easily, his hands sliding up her sides. Miya could taste the sugar on his lips, feel his breath against her face, his hands against her skin. Yes, she would definitely be looking forward to many more moments like this.

* * *

Miya rolled over the next morning right into something warm. She opened her eyes, surprised, and saw Ryuzaki lying beside her, looking down at her curiously.

"You're here," she said, surprised.

"Yes well Light and I are no longer handcuffed so time is no longer an issue," L explained. Miya smiled at the idea of that and noticed that L had a plate of strawberry shortcake in his hand.

"None for me?" she wondered. L stabbed a strawberry with his fork and reached it out to Miya, who took it in her mouth gladly. L watched her chew in silence for a moment before turning back to his plate.

"You alright?" Miya asked curiously. His face was blank, but it looked as though he was thinking about something deeply.

"This is good," L said, nodding down at the shortcake. "Did you make it?"

"Yes," Miya answered. "I know you like it. That was the first thing I learned about you."

"Hmm it was, wasn't it?"

"Yup," Miya chuckled. "You said 'strawberries are the best.'" L placed the last bite of the small red fruit in his mouth as he continued.

"Yes they are," he mumbled before swallowing. He placed the plate beside him on the nightstand. "I suppose that's one thing that will never change." Miya smiled slightly and reached up, brushing his hair from his eyes. His hair was messy, yet every strand seemed to be exactly where it belonged. That was one thing about L; everything seemed so out of place with him when really it fit together perfectly. Miya leaned up and kissed his lips softly for a moment.

"Any more room for breakfast in there?" she wondered, twirling her finger along his stomach. "Noah's probably hungry."

"Yes there's half a cake left in there," L recalled. The two then got dressed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

* * *

L had been more distant from the group ever since Misa had been freed and he and Light weren't handcuffed together. Even though there was evidence of Light's innocence, he just couldn't let it go that he wasn't Kira. It all came together until the Thirteen Day Rule became known. Now he was back at square one and he was not the least bit happy about it. Miya and Noah did a good job of distracting him from time to time but when he got back to work, he was always reminded of his failure.

L tried to isolate himself from the others, excluding Miya, and sat on the couch, slightly away from his usual spot in front of the screens. He had an ice cream cone in his hand and was indulging in some soft serve vanilla ice cream as Miya sat next to him. She was eating her own ice cream in silence, eyeing L from the corner of her eye.

"What are you thinking?" Miya whispered, acting nonchalant about it. She knew he was thinking something important though.

"Not now," he answered simply, just as quietly.

"Hey, it's Misa Misa!" Matsuda said interrupting them. He was sitting in L's usual chair looking at the screen. Misa could be seen standing outside the building, obviously waiting for Light. "The poor girl. As long as we're stuck in here, we can't turn our cell phones on, so she has to come all the way over here just to hang out with Light."

"Light, would you hurry up and go see her? Don't you know? You should never keep a woman waiting," Mr. Yagami lightly scolded his son.

"Okay," Light replied. He then jogged out of the room, off to see Misa.

Everyone could see Light and Misa discussing something on the screen. They were eventually hugging onto each other like lovers and Miya found this very odd. Didn't Light hate Misa? Why was he suddenly acting like this towards her? His actions seemed to brighten Misa's day.

Miya turned to L to tell him this, when she noticed his face. He looked upset about something. She wasn't sure what, but she knew they would have to discuss this later.

"Something's not right here…" Miya heard L mumble. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear that but she faced him anyway. "This is bad…"

Miya wanted to encourage him to explain his thoughts to her but she stopped herself. Now was not the time.


	27. Worry

A/N: So, I'm really bored and don't feel like working on my Mello story at the moment so this chapter's coming up now. Get ready for some depressingness coming up. It's not what you think...yet...but it's still sad. And don't forget to read _Perfect_. It might cheer you up after reading this! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter 27: Worry**

Watari sat comfortably in his chair as he nibbled on his breakfast, which consisted of a doughnut and some coffee. He was in his own special room that L had assigned him to work in, keeping watch like he normally did. There was nothing going on at all, so Watari found this as his moment to relax.

He closed his eyes for a moment before hearing something from behind him. He whipped around in his chair, only to see L standing there looking down at the ground. L wasn't one for showing his emotions, but as Watari watched him standing there, he couldn't help but notice that the young detective was looking absolutely devastated.

"Ryuzaki, is something the matter? What is it? What's wrong?" Watari asked in concern.

L didn't respond though. He just stood there, looking to be on the verge of tears.

"Ryuzaki, tell me what's wrong," Watari coaxed.

L shut his eyes tightly and clenched his fists.

"Did something happen with Miss Yamagata?" Watari wondered.

L took in a deep breath and faced the old man that had taken care of him since he was a child. "I'm worried," he finally managed to say. "I can't say this to Miya because I know it would frighten her, but I have to tell someone. Something is going to happen."

"What do you mean, Ryuzaki?" Watari asked unsurely.

"Even though there is the Thirteen Day Rule, I still believe Light Yagami is Kira and that Misa Amane is the second Kira. Now that they are free, I have a feeling things aren't going to end well. I believe they are conspiring together and are going to kill me. It's out of my hands now." He hung his head down in defeat.

"Are you sure, Ryuzaki?"

"My intuition is almost always correct, Watari," L replied. "It's not death that worries me. I have never loved a woman and had her love me back before and now I wish it had never happened. If I am to die today, I would leave Miya all by herself. She'll have to take care of a baby alone again." L sighed. "Her mother was right. This will be like last time for Miya, because I will end up leaving her on her own."

Watari did not like what he was hearing. He had never seen L so happy before he met Miya. "I can't believe you would say that," Watari said. The disappointment in Watari's voice made L raise his head in surprise and stare back at the old man. "Miya has been the best thing that has ever happened to you. I know that there is no part of you that wishes you had never met her before."

L nodded slightly. "You're right. If I could go back, I'd do it all over again." His voice was firm, and Watari could tell he meant it.

They were both silent for a moment. Watari was the first to break the silence. "Are you sure about Light Yagami?"

"Almost positive," L replied swiftly. "Watari, if anything happens to you, I want you erase all the files we have immediately. I have put together a fund for Miya that will help her when I am gone. With all the money I saved for her, she won't have to work a day in her life anymore, and she won't have to struggle to support our children. It's the best I can do now that I'm going to abandon her…"

The two of them were silent again, deep in thought. One thing was certain though. They both hoped, with all their might, that Ryuzaki's feeling was incorrect.

* * *

L tried his hardest, later that morning, not to go up to Miya's room and lie in bed with her until she woke up. As much as he wanted to, he just knew he couldn't. He had to focus on the notebook at the moment, and see if there was any possible way that he could change his fate.

L took the Death Note and opened it, holding the corners between his thumb and index finger. He scanned it carefully and was surprised when he saw that there was a corner missing from one of the pages. "Hm. Interesting. The corner of the page of this notebook has been torn off." He looked up at Rem, who was standing across from him. "Can you kill somebody by writing a name on the piece?"

"Can't say," Rem answered vaguely. "I've never tried using it like that and I don't know of anyone who has."

"Then let me ask you, do gods of death love apples?"

"Not necessarily. You see, our internal organs have already degraded. We've evolved to a point where we do not require sustenance."

At this moment, Miya walked downstairs. She only glanced at Light, but then smiled when her eyes landed on Ryuzaki. It fell however, when her eyes fell on the Shinigami.

"Morning all…"

"Good morning Miya," L replied distractedly. He tried to focus on his work in front of him. Miya was making it difficult, however, when she leaned over to him and kissed his cheek. "Missed you," she murmured.

L cleared his throat before addressing the boy in the back of the room. "Say Light. You're finally free to leave headquarters on your own but it seems like you never go out. Even when Misa comes to visit, you only chat with her for a few minutes outside. You do realize you're free to have a relationship with her now."

"That can wait until we've managed to solve this case. I'm not in the mood for love or anything else right now," Light replied curtly. L knew that was a jab at him and Miya but he chose to ignore it. "Anyway, are you suggesting that I'll be a nuisance for staying here?"

"Yes…"Miya said under her breath.

"No," L replied. "You're free to stay as long as you want."

"But not right now," Miya interrupted. "You too Shinigami," she said, facing Rem.

Light rolled his eyes at her. "You have a bedroom don't you? Go in there."

His tone pissed her off more than the words themselves, and Miya suppressed glaring at him. "Fine." Miya then grabbed onto L's hand and pulled him, making him stand and follow her. He trudged along behind her as she laced fingers with him.

The made it to her room in silence. When Miya was finally sure they were alone, she turned to L and gave him a concerned look. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately.

"There's nothing wrong," L said.

Miya raised an eyebrow. "I know you, L. You're acting more bizarre than usual. There's something wrong and you're not telling me about it."

"Miya, I assure you, there is nothing wrong. I just have my mind on that notebook."

Miya pursed her lips in thought as she eyed the man in front of her. "You know, for some reason, I don't think that's the truth." She sighed and stepped closer to him. He didn't step back so she placed a hand on his cheek to keep his eyes on her. "I know you're not used to letting people in, but you can. I'll always be here for you, okay? So if you have something on your mind that's worrying you, I want you to tell me. Understand?"

"Yes Miya," L said. He leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. "There is nothing bothering me, but I must go now. I need to find out more things about the notebook." He couldn't tell her all of what was on his mind. How could he?

Miya sighed. "Alright then. I'll be down later, okay? I have to make Noah's breakfast and get him ready for day-care."

"That's fine," L said. He then turned around and left the room.

Miya looked after him. Even though he said there was nothing wrong, she just didn't believe it. Ever since Miya had gotten to know him better, his emotions had become easier to read. She knew the others couldn't tell what he was thinking, but Miya was getting better at it. And she knew, from the second she realized he wasn't lying next to her on the bed, that something was wrong. Ever since he was freed from the handcuffs, he hadn't left Miya's side if he could help it. He was always in bed with her. That morning, however, he was gone. When they were talking a moment ago, Miya could see it in his eyes that he was worrying about something. Miya was slightly hurt that he didn't share with her what was going on, but she figured he would tell her in his own time.

* * *

A few days later, after Miya had dropped off Noah at the day-care center, she made her way back to the high-security building that was headquarters. Things were going good so far, now that the Death Note was in task force hands, but what the men were discussing came as a shock.

"What's going on?" Mr. Yagami said. "I heard criminals are being killed again."

"What?" Miya asked, surprised. "For real?" Miya had thought before that there must be another notebook. This was probably the second Death Note that was killing people again.

"There were sixteen deaths just yesterday," Aizawa informed them. "All of them were broadcast after Higuchi's death."

"Immediately after, huh?" Matsuda asked.

Mr. Yagami turned to L. "Do you think this could mean that Higuchi wasn't necessarily Kira after all?"

Light answered, "No, it's safe to say Higuchi was the one punishing criminals until we apprehended him." That much was true, Miya was certain, but then who was punishing criminals now?

Aizawa seemed disgruntled at this piece of information. "Then this means we are dealing with yet another Kira."

"Aw man!" Matsuda groaned. "Not again!"

"Damn! Damn you Kira!" Light yelled clenching his fists. Miya really hated his reactions to everything. He always played it out like he had a huge grudge against Kira, but it almost always seemed overdone.

L had been quiet for a moment, eating panda cookies as he processed everything. "These killings began as soon as Misa was free, didn't they?"

Miya's eyes widened. That was true. Every since Misa left, criminals had started dying again. It couldn't be just coincidence. If Light was really the main Kira, when he was acting lovey-dovey with Misa, he could have been instructing her on what to do.

Light didn't like his answer, but then again, when did Light ever like anything L said?

"Ryuzaki, are you still going on about that? She has nothing to do with this! Think about it. This started as soon as Higuchi died."

"I suppose you're right," L replied. He proceeded in dumping all the cookies on the table, looking at them rather than eating them. Miya was surprised he gave up so easily. Was he losing faith in himself? "If there is another notebook floating around, and someone is now using it to kill criminals, I'll just have to bring that person to justice."

"That's right," Miya agreed. "And you'll be able to do it too!" Miya saw a ghost of a smile on his face and smiled herself. He just needed a little encouragement.

"Ryuzaki," Light started. "I've been thinking, even if we do manage to catch the person who's been writing names in the notebook, will we really be able to legally convict and punish them for mass homicide?"

"What?" Matsuda asked surprised. "Of course we can convict them! This guy is intentionally writing names in the notebook, knowing that these people are going to die. Even if we don't plan on publicly acknowledging the notebook, the least we could do is execute the killer!" Miya nodded in agreement.

"It's not a very humane way to do things," Aizawa commented, "but the higher-ups would probably want to take measures like that."

"If they admit to killing with the notebook," L said, "they will receive the death penalty, or life in prison at least." He took a bite of one of his cookies before continuing. "That's the best that they could hope for."

* * *

"Has anyone seen Ryuzaki?" Miya asked the group of men when she entered headquarters. She had been expecting to see him sitting in the usual crouched position in his chair, but found that it was empty.

"Sorry Miya," Matsuda apologized. "We don't know where he is."

Watari's voice from the computer made her jump slightly. "I think he's outside on the roof of the building."

Miya furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Outside? In the rain?" She then made her way to the elevator where it escalated to the top of building. It was just one more flight of stairs to the roof and as she finally made it outside, she saw L standing there, looking up at the sky.

'What is he doing?' Miya thought to herself. She was glad she brought a jacket with her before she went outside. She put the hood over her head and began walking through the rain to L.

He hadn't looked at her yet, even though she knew that he was aware of her presence. Something was definitely wrong.

She put a hand over her head to cover the rain from her eyes as she stared at him curiously, now facing him. "What are you doing out here?!"

L finally looked at her. His face was completely void of emotion now and Miya felt her heart starting to pound faster against her chest. "_What is wrong_?" she asked in desperation. "Don't hide this from me anymore!"

L didn't say anything as he continued staring at her. The rain was sliding down his face in little droplets and his raven hair was matted against his face and neck. His white shirt was clinging onto his skin and Miya could clearly see his muscles through it. If Miya wasn't so worried, she would have probably tried to make a move on him.

L gave her a half-smile. "There is nothing wrong," he assured her. He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. As Miya was kissing him though, she felt his lip quiver slightly. She pulled away quickly and gazed up at him.

"There is too something wrong!" Miya yelled over the rain pouring down. "Tell me! Please!"

Instead of answering her, he wrapped his arms around her and put his head on her shoulder. "What…?" Miya began to ask, breaking the sentence suddenly when she felt L's body shaking against her. It took her a moment to realize that he was actually crying.

Miya's eyes widened and she could feel her own tears pushing against her eyes. "You're scaring me. Why won't you tell me…?"

"I love you…" L whispered against her shoulder. She had barely heard it over the pounding rain, and it only caused the tears to actually flow down her cheeks. Even though she knew how he felt about her, he had never actually told her he loved her in words.

Her tears mixed with the raindrops as she wrapped her arms around his slender body and held him close. They stayed like that for a few moments, before L finally pulled away. He then got down on his knees before her and placed a hand on her small stomach. There was a slight baby bump, but it wasn't big enough for someone to guess that she was pregnant yet. He then hugged her waist and placed his cheek against her stomach.

'Why is he acting like this?' Miya thought as more tears slid down her face. When he released her again, he stood back up and looked into her brown eyes.

"I want you to know that if anything happens to me, Light Yagami is Kira," L told her simply.

"What?" Miya asked. She then shook her head. "Nothing's going to happen to you. I've told you before and I'll say it again. You worry too much." Though as she attempted to settle his nerves, she felt her own worry double.

L chuckled slightly. "You're probably right. You should get inside. I don't want you to get sick. That won't be good for the baby."

Miya nodded as she wiped her eyes. "And don't stay out much longer either. You can't afford to get sick yourself."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his once more. Her hand moved to the side of his face, feeling the strange mixture of cold rain and warm tears that moistened his cheek. She then pulled away by just an inch, looking into his midnight eyes that were so clearly filled with a worry neither she nor the rain could wash away. She met his lips for just the briefest moment again before stepping back, letting her hand linger on his cheek as she gave him what she hoped was a comforting smile. Reluctantly, she then turned away and headed back inside.

The cold building and wet clothes caused Miya to shiver as she walked through the hallways. She really needed to go back to her room and change before she left to run her errands, a small task that seemed insignificant now. She considered for a moment staying behind, but she decided maybe what L needed was some time alone to think and so she managed to keep her feet moving forward.

On her way, she saw Light heading in her direction. He only glanced at her for a second, but didn't really acknowledge her existence. Miya was slightly interested in the fact that he was heading in the same direction she had come from. Did he need to speak to L about something?


	28. Daddy

A/N: Ok, this is it. I know you guys were beggin but we ha a storyline to follow. And let me just say, we kinda cried typing this and if we did a good enough job at writing, then you should probably cry too. After this, there are two chapters left of the story so don't stop reading after this!...oh and Happy Easter! lol Ok, please review!

* * *

**Chapter 28: Daddy**

Miya was on her way back to headquarters when the lights flickered out. She had run some errands that morning with Noah before dropping him off at day care, and she was curious to know if there were any updates on the case.

"What's going on?" Miya wondered as the hallway went dark. She picked up the pace a bit, not liking the fact that she couldn't see very well. She was about halfway there when she passed a computer monitor that caught her attention.

"All data deleted?" she read in confusion. "Why would the data be deleted? Something must be going on with the system." She shook her head and continued down the hallway quickly, now slightly worried. She could see the door to headquarters at the end when a bloodcurdling scream made her freeze. It sounded like Light. Something was wrong. Miya started to run now, desperate to make sure everything was okay.

"We're gonna die," she could hear Light screaming. "Watari, Ryuzaki…it'll be us next!"

"What?!" Miya gasped as a huge knot filled her stomach. "No…" she reached for the door, fumbling with her security ID. Her hands were shaking horribly and she could feel tears pushing her eyes. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew it was bad. She just wanted the door to open; to see L standing there waiting for her.

"Damn you!" Light was screaming. "Where are you Shinigami! Come out!" Miya burst through the doorway to see the team looking fearful. Everyone was scattered about; Mr. Yagami, Matsuda, Aizawa, Mogi; but Miya barely noticed them. The only thing she saw was the man lying in Light's arms, his dark eyes closed for the first time she'd ever seen.

"No," she gasped, running up and falling on her knees in front of him. She grabbed his hand and reached up to touch his cheek. It was still warm, but there was no expression on his face. "L…" Miya called, shaking his hand in hers. "L, please…no…" she was sobbing uncontrollably now. "L! God, no you can't leave me….please!" Everyone stood by, unsure of what to say or do.

"It's no use Miya," Light said finally. "He's dead." He was relishing in the moment; Miya just felt it. Miya's eyes were completely clouded with tears, and L's face faded away from her as they took over. "It had to have been the Shinigami," Light continued frantically. "Where'd you go?" He called, looking around for the invisible creature. She felt an anger rise up in her that was stronger than anything she'd ever felt.

"Get your hands off of him!" she screamed at Light, angry tears flooding down her face. She reached across L and shoved Light away, cradling the detective's head in her own lap.

"Please…" she sobbed, rocking slightly as she wiped her own tears from his cheek.

"Get her out of here," Light said. "She's too upset to think. We have to find that Shinigami. It's responsible for this!" He was yelling with all his emotion, and Miya knew she was going to be sick.

"Like hell it is!" she screamed. Her voice was cracked and she couldn't breathe. All she knew was that L was gone, and Light was the reason why. "You did this!" she cried, looking from Light back down to L. "How could you do this?!" She jumped up then and lunged for Light as Aizawa caught Ryuzaki's head in his arms. "Murderer!" she managed to scream as she crashed into Light, pounding her fists down on his chest. "Bastard! You're Kira! You're…" she couldn't even speak anymore as sobbing took over words. She felt an arm slide around her waist, pulling her away from Light. Miya thrashed against it, desperate to get away and make Light pay for what he'd done.

"Let go!" she screeched as Light watched her. "Let me go…" She looked up and saw the clouded image of Matsuda. He was pulling her back for the door.

"Miya…" he said. "Please…there's nothing you can do…"

"No!" Miya screamed, pointing to Light as Matsuda pulled her backwards. "No! He did this!" Matsuda reached the door and threw it open, pulling Miya from the room. Light was smiling just the slightest bit at her, sending her further into a fit of screams and chocked out sobs. Matsuda managed to close the door, and Miya lost any will to fight as the image of Ryuzaki's limp body disappeared with it.

Matsuda carried her down the hall and into a room with a few couches, placing Miya gently in a seat. She looked up at him with a tear stained face.

"Matsuda…" she barely was able to say. "Please tell me he's not gone…" Miya was sobbing uncontrollably, her whole body shaking as she buried her face in her hands. Matsuda didn't speak and instead sat across from her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him and saw that a tear had fallen down his cheek as well. "What am I gonna do?" she said, her breath quick between words. "He was supposed to be there for me…for the baby…he was supposed…" Miya's crying overcame her again and Matsuda moved to sit beside her, pulling her into a hug. She buried her face into his shoulder and sobbed, filling the otherwise silent room.

* * *

Miya walked down the street in silence. She was headed toward the daycare, her face straight and her eyes ahead of her as she walked. She let all emotions leave her body, for Noah's sake. He didn't need to know. Not yet. She wasn't ready to tell him. She reached the door of the day care and stepped inside, heading down the hall to where Noah was waiting.

"Mommy!" he said happily. "Where's Mr. Panda? He told me yesterday that he was gonna come with you to pick me up every day!" Miya felt a stab in her chest as she shook her head.

"Not today sweetie," she said quickly. "Are you ready?" Noah nodded and took her hand as Miya led him from the building. They were about halfway to headquarters when Noah looked up at his mother.

"Are you okay mommy?" he asked. "You look sad." Miya didn't answer him. Instead she mustered a smile and changed the subject.

"What do you want for dinner?" she wondered.

"Cake!" Noah answered quickly, a little habit he'd picked up from Ryuzaki. "And ice cweam for dessert!" Miya squeezed his hand as they continued home, fighting the tears the rest of the way.

* * *

"Goodnight baby," Miya said to Noah, kissing his forehead as she pulled the blanket over him.

"Mommy, how come Mr. Panda didn't come tuck me in?" Noah wondered. It had become a habit for Ryuzaki over the past few days, and so his not showing up confused Noah. "He's supposed to finish the stowy he started."

"Maybe another time sweetie," Miya lied, knowing full well that L would never get to finish that tale. She handed Noah the panda quickly, not wanting to look at it, and rushed from the room before Noah could see the tears that were leaking down her cheeks. She closed the door behind her, leaning against it and covering her mouth to muffle the sobs that were escaping. She slid down the door to the floor and buried her face in her hands until she was certain she was calm enough to move. She then managed to stand, feeling her way along the wall to her dark room. She collapsed onto the bed and sobbed into the pillow that L usually claimed for himself. It smelled like sugar, and Miya clutched it closer to her face; longing, remembering. She was nearly asleep when she felt familiar hands lace around her waist, pulling her into a thinly muscular frame.

"I love you…" she heard L mumble in her ear, his voice low and thick.

"I love you too," Miya breathed as more tears slid from her eyes. She was surprised by the weakness of her own voice, and she felt L's hand wipe her cheek as she took in a deep, shaky breath.

"I miss you," L told her, his lips against her ear. Miya felt her body shaking as she spoke, her throat thick and her voice cracking.

"Why did you leave me…?" she managed to say. "You said you were going to be here…"

"I assure you, I'll never leave," he answered, kissing her cheek. "Whenever you need me, I'll be there." Miya rolled over and looked at his face through her tears. He was looking down at her with unblinking eyes, his features shadowed in by the messy hair falling over his forehead and the darkness of the room.

"You promise?" she whispered, reaching up to touch his face one last time.

"I promise," he answered, leaning toward her, his warm breath caressing her face. His lips were just an inch away from hers…

Miya gasped as a knock on the door woke her from her dream. She sat bolt upright as the handle turned.

"L?" she wondered quickly in what was almost desperation. Reality struck her a moment later, however, and this time she couldn't conceal the tears from the small boy who entered the room.

"Mommy?" Noah said when he saw her. "What's wrong?" He climbed onto her bed and hugged her, looking at her with big eyes. Miya sobbed and wrapped her arms around the boy, cradling him to her.

"Mommy…?" Noah said.

"I'm…s-so sorry baby…" she cried.

"Mommy, what's the matta?" Noah wondered, looking around the room. "Where's Mr. Panda?" Miya felt her heart literally break, and she sucked in a deep breath as she looked down at Noah.

"He's not…gonna c-come back sweetie…" she stuttered, brushing Noah's hair from his cheek.

"How come?" Noah said, his face falling. "Where'd he go?" Miya bit her lips as she struggled to find the words, all the while trying to stop herself from shaking.

"He's gone to a better place baby," she choked out.

"Where's better than with us?" Noah demanded, now getting frustrated. Miya closed her eyes a moment before looking back down at him.

"He died honey…" she told him softly as yet another tear slid down her cheek. She was fairly certain at this point that they were not going to stop.

"But…he said he was gonna be my new daddy…"

"I'm so s-sorry…" Miya repeated weakly. Noah looked up at her for a moment before his face scrunched up and he started to cry. Miya pulled him to her again.

"Shh…" she comforted. Noah pushed her away and turned away from her.

"Is it 'cause I told my wish?" he wondered through his tiny sniffles. "Is it 'cause…'cause I broke my birwday wish?" Miya shook her head.

"No baby, it's not your fault…" she whispered.

"Yes it is!" Noah choked. "Now he can't be my daddy no more!" Miya scooped him up under the shoulders and pulled him back into her lap. Noah didn't push her this time, and instead leaned his head on her chest as he cried softly to himself. Miya rested her cheek on the top of his head, rocking him back and forth as she shakily hummed a lullaby in an effort to calm them both.

* * *

"Ready Miya?" Matsuda asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned her eyes from the window and looked down at the outfit she despised. Black dress that reached her knees. It was so somber and it did nothing but add further depression to the situation. Miya took a deep breath and nodded, looking down at the small boy who held her hand. He was in a little black suit clutching the stuffed animal he called Panda under his arm.

"Okay guys, let's go," Matsuda said, nodding toward the other members of the task force. L's death had been kept a secret, and so the funeral party was small. Aside from Miya and Noah, there was Matsuda, Mr. Yagami, Aizawa, and Light. It had been completely against Miya's wishes for Light to be there, but she was done trying to convince this team of his guilt. When they were ready to wake up and see that he was Kira, she would be there to say I told you so.

The group made their way to a nearby graveyard, and Miya kept her head down the whole way, focusing on the grass beneath her feet and the feet in front of her that led the way. It was a hazy morning, the sun hidden away behind a sheet of clouds. Finally they stopped, and Miya willed herself to look up. She raised her gaze to see a large tombstone in the shape of a cross. There was nothing written; no name, no expression of what a wonderful person he was. It was blank, and empty, and cold. Miya felt a tear roll down her cheek as she realized she was the only person left who would remember L for who he truly was. No one really knew him but her, what with Watari gone as well. Miya knew at that moment, she promised herself, that she would never forget L. She would never move on and never love another. He had been it, and now he was gone.

"Let's all say a few words," Matsuda suggested. "I'll start. Um…Ryuzaki you were the best detective I've ever know and I'm gonna miss you man." Miya smiled just the slightest as Mr. Yagami continued.

"We're going to keep working as if you had never gone," he said. "The world will still believe L to be alive, and we are going to continue this investigation as you would have liked. You can sleep peacefully now. It was a pleasure working under you, truly." Miya felt more tears fall down her face. They hit the ground and disappeared into the earth as another one fell to replace it.

"I…I know we didn't leave on the best of terms," Aizawa began hesitantly. "But I never hated you Ryuzaki. I hope you knew that." Aizawa finished his short speech as Light stepped up just a bit closer to the grave. Miya's free fist clenched as she held herself back.

"I will find Kira, Ryuzaki," Light said seriously. "He will not get away with what he's done. He will be brought to justice, we can promise you that." Miya's jaw tightened. She hated him so much it filled every part of her when he spoke. Thankfully he stepped back and quieted down, and so Miya took a deep breath and looked down at Noah.

"Anything you want to say to Mr. Panda, Noah?" she choked out. "Did you want to tell him goodbye?" Noah let go of her hand, his small face red from crying, and walked up to the stone. He placed Panda at the bottom of the headstone.

"I'll miss you daddy," he said quietly. Miya watched him from behind the blur of tears in her eyes as he stepped back toward her and took her hand again. Everyone turned toward her expectantly.

"Anything you'd like to say Miya?" Matsuda asked after a few minutes of silence. Miya took a deep breath and looked to the grave.

"He knows," she whispered. And he did. She knew that much. He was the best thing that ever came into her life, and she loved him with everything she had. He was the best father to Noah in the short time he'd been able to be, and for once he made Miya feel like her family was complete. L knew that, Miya could feel it. And as she looked at the stone in front of her, she knew she would see L again, whether it be in her dreams, or even after death. He wasn't gone. He'd be there, just like he said.

The team turned and headed back from where they'd come, away from L and on toward the investigation he'd left behind. Miya hesitated, looking around and marking every detail of her surroundings in her mind. She'd come back here, one day. But for now, as she turned and followed the others, Light walking in front of her, she knew what she had to do, and where she had to go.


	29. Wammy

A/N: I'm actually glad some of you guys cried. At least we did a decent job with the awful scene. So here's the next one and then the last one is the final chapter of the story. We have a few more DN projects coming up but I'll let you know about that in the next chapter. Please review!

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**Chapter 29: Wammy**

It was a few days later and Miya had finally been able to stop crying. It felt like she had completely run out of tears and couldn't shed anymore. Noah was still taking it hard, unfortunately. His green eyes had practically lost their sparkle and he didn't want to talk to anyone, including Miya.

She dragged a duffel bag into her living room. It contained her and Noah's clothes and other essentials that they would need once they left. Miya knew she wouldn't be able to stay in headquarters any longer. Now that L was gone she had no reason to stay, but she definitely knew where she was going. It had been a split decision, but she felt it would be the right place to go.

"Ready, baby?" Miya asked. Noah was sitting on the couch staring at the ground, clutching onto the blue panda Matsuda had given him. He didn't say anything, and Miya realized now was definitely time to leave or he would never heal. "Let's go."

He got up from the couch and grabbed onto her hand. As they made their way towards the door, Miya looked back. She enjoyed living here the past few months, working on the case and falling more in love with L, but now she was leaving it all behind. She had to.

When they made it to the main area, all the men were gathered around, discussing something that Miya didn't care about anymore. After the funeral, she had heard from Matsuda that Light would take the place of L, acting as if he hadn't died. That disgusted Miya more than anything. There was no possible way that Light Yagami, Kira, could possibly take the place of L. Miya hated him more than anything for what he had done, and there was no way in hell she would stand by and watch that murderer call himself L. He could never replace L. No one could.

"Miya," Matsuda started when he caught sight of her and the bag slung over her shoulder, "what's going on?"

"We're leaving," Miya replied curtly. "For good."

"What?"

Miya nodded. "You heard me."

Mr. Yagami stepped forward to try to reason with her. "I know you're upset about Ryuzaki but-"

"No, you don't know," Miya replied curtly. "And I'm not leaving just because L was murdered. Light is taking L's place and that is most definitely not okay with me." Miya took a deep breath to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall again. It appeared she still had some crying left in her after all. But she would not fall apart in front of them anymore, especially not Light. "So, Noah and I are leaving. I wish you the best of luck trying to find Kira. Now that you have Light leading the investigation, he's gonna keep you guys running in circles until you die."

"Miya…" Matsuda started. But Miya wasn't about to listen to them try to talk her out of leaving. It wouldn't work. Instead she turned her attention to the man she despised more than anything.

"Oh and Light?" she said, trying to sound pleasant.

Light raised an eyebrow before acknowledging her. "Yes?"

"I hope you rot in hell for what you've done." And with that, she turned to leave, with Noah holding onto her hand. She couldn't believe she had actually said that to Light. He could easily kill her, and now that she was leaving no one would even know she was dead.

* * *

Miya sighed as she and Noah sat in a terminal at the airport. She was starting to get nervous, making a huge leap like this, but she knew she had to go there. For some reason, she felt that L would want her to. She hadn't told anyone where she was going and was starting to feel guilty that she had left her parents out of the loop. That didn't even know that L was killed.

Against her better judgment, she whipped out her phone and dialed her parents' house number, getting ready to spill everything.

"Hello?" Miya's mother answered.

"Hi mom," Miya said.

"Miya, is everything alright? I haven't heard from you in a few days."

Miya took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want to worry you but no, everything is not alright. I called because I want to tell you everything that has happened and is going to happen. First of all, Noah and I aren't coming home, maybe for a long time. We're leaving the country."

Her mother was silent for a moment in confusion. "W-what? Miya what are you talking about?"

"I've been working as part of an investigative team under the detective L, to help him catch Kira. That's what I've been doing this past year, mom. And Hideki Ryuga? That was really L. He changed his name to protect himself."

Her mother hadn't said a word and Miya figured it was from shock. It was a lot of information to take in, after all. She continued anyway. "Everything about L was true though. We loved each other, he was going to adopt Noah, and I am pregnant with his child."

"Miya, that was all in past tense…"

"Yeah…" The crying feeling was coming back again, and Miya's voice grew thick as she struggled to keep it steady. "A few days ago, Kira managed to…kill him."

Miya's mother gasped. "He's gone?"

Miya swallowed. "Yeah, he is. Now that L's gone, I can't stay here anymore. I'm going back to his hometown because he told me before that there are people there that are supposed to take his place if anything were to happen to him. I want to go there and help them the best that I can. Kira needs to be stopped."

"Miya, I'm…I'm so sorry about everything but I don't think this is a good idea. Why don't you come back home and we can discuss this rationally?" her mother coaxed.

"I'm sorry mom but I've made up my mind already. I'm going and that's final. I can't tell you where though so I guess this is goodbye unless we come back to Japan." A loud voice could be heard echoing across the airport terminal, announcing that the flight to England was now boarding. Miya turned back to the phone. She wasn't listening before, but now she could hear her mother crying and begging her to stay. "Mom, the flight's boarding so I have to go now. I love you." She then quickly hung up to avoid hearing any more her mother's pleading cries. They weren't making this any easier.

"Mommy, where's England?" Noah asked, speaking for the first time in three days.

"It's where our new home is," Miya replied. She held onto Noah's hand tightly as they boarded the plane. Miya wasn't sure if they would ever return. Only time would tell.

* * *

"Wammy's house…" Miya whispered to herself. She and Noah were standing in front of a giant orphanage in Winchester, England. It was a magnificent building, with fencing surrounding the property, and it was definitely not what she had expected. Usually in movies, orphanages were run down and ancient, but this was the complete opposite of that.

"It looks like a castle," Noah commented.

Miya chuckled. "Yeah, it kinda does." She squeezed Noah's hand slightly before walking inside, which turned out to be just as extravagant as the outside. There were stained glass windows and long hallways with endless rooms. A few young kids could be seen wandering the halls and Miya suddenly felt sad. All these kids were here without a family to care for them. L had gone through this himself, and she couldn't help but think how awful it must have been.

The two of them continued walking in silence, hand-in-hand, trying to find the person in charge. Miya wasn't even sure who she should be looking for. Maybe there would be a sign on the door or something.

After a few minutes of wandering around aimlessly, Miya was about to give up.

"Mommy, what are you looking for?" Noah asked curiously.

"Hmm…" Miya began chewing on her thumbnail in thought as she looked around. A sudden blur of yellow caught her eye. It was a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes and he was looking very upset about something. "Excuse me!" Miya called out to him.

He ignored her and continued walking down the hallway.

"Wait, please, I need some help with something," Miya pleaded. She started following him and when she was close enough, she managed to grab a hold of his wrist. The boy whipped around and glared daggers at her.

"What the hell?!" he yelled.

Miya dropped his hand in surprise and stepped back slightly. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized. "Can you help me please? I'm kind of lost."

The boy was taken aback by the woman in front of him. She was a few years older than him and way prettier than any of the other girls he had seen at Wammy's. He stared at her for a moment, contemplating whether to ignore her or help her out. He grudgingly decided to help. "What is it?"

"Who's in charge here? Can you take me to them? I would like to speak to them about something," Miya replied.

"You're looking for Roger," the boy answered. "Just go straight down this hallway and it's the last door on the left."

Miya smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

The boy shrugged. "No big deal." He turned to leave but Miya stopped him again.

"Can you tell me your name?" Miya asked with a shy smile.

The boy stared at her again, wondering why she was so interested. "It's Mello."

Something clicked in Miya's mind. Didn't L say that one of his successors was named Mello? Was this the same kid? He seemed so young, though. Could he possibly be so intelligent that he could take L's place? Miya didn't speak through her silent musings and Mello gave her a curious look, wondering why she was so stuck on his name.

"That's a pretty cool name," Miya said, trying to play it cool. "Thanks again for the directions. I hope to see you around again, Mello."

Miya then turned towards the direction that Mello had pointed her to. Noah trudged behind her, still holding onto his panda as he gazed back at the boy who had helped them.

"Mommy, he kinda looks like a panda…" Noah commented. "A mean, yellow panda."

Miya chuckled slightly. "He did, didn't he?" Maybe big, panda eyes were a custom at Wammy's House.

"Not as cool-looking as Mr. Panda though…" Noah added sadly.

"No," Miya agreed, giving his hand a slight squeeze for comfort. "He'll always be our favorite panda."

She made it to the room Mello had directed her toward and knocked softly on the door.

"Come in," she heard.

Miya opened the door and was surprised to see an old man that looked slightly like Watari behind a desk, and a young boy dressed in white sitting on the floor. He was surrounded by puzzle pieces, and Miya noticed that he also had panda eyes.

"Yes?" the man asked politely.

"Hello, my name is Miya…Lawliet," she decided quickly before continuing her explanation, "and well I'm here because I heard this is where L grew up," She had to admit, that was a lame way to put things but she hadn't exactly planned this through. She voiced her thoughts to the man in front of her before smiling sheepishly. "I'm really sorry, but I don't know where else to go and I figured I could find something here."

"It's nice to meet you Miya. I'm Roger Ruvie. I'm in charge of Wammy's House now." He eyed Miya for a few moments before speaking again. "Miya?" the man, Roger, said contemplatively. "Was your name always Lawliet?"

Miya shook her head. "No. I just took that name before I left because…well it's kind of important to me and I figured an alias couldn't hurt. I'm really Miya Yamaguchi."

The old man shook his head. "I thought so. I'm very sorry for your loss Miss Yamaguchi. We just found out about L's death ourselves. He left this for you." Roger held out an envelope for Miya to take. She eyed it unsurely. Had he really sent her something before he died?

Miya took it from him and opened it slowly, nervous as to what was waiting for her in the envelope. There was a sheet of paper inside, and on it was what Miya recognized as L's scrawled handwriting.

_Dear Miya,_

_If you're reading this, it means that I am no longer alive, and you have done what I assumed you would. Wammy's house will be a wonderful new home for you. Those with the greatest minds are being taught here, and you and Noah will make fine additions. _

_I have left you the rest of my money so that you may be financially secure for the rest of your life. It is the least I can do for abandoning you now when you need me the most. I am sorry for that. I wish I could be there with you and be there for my new family. I love you, Noah, and our baby, whatever you decide to name him or her. _

_No matter what you choose to do now, whether it be to continue in the pursuit to catch Kira or to stay at Wammy's, just know that I love you._

_L_

Miya placed a hand over her mouth to try to contain her sobs. This letter was so unexpected, and she wished her tears weren't pouring down her cheeks as she cried in front of Roger. She had no idea L had left her everything. He made no indication that he was going to do that for her and the kids.

"Are you alright, Miss Yamaguchi?" Roger asked uncertainly.

"Mommy, whas wrong?" Noah asked, staring up at her.

She closed her eyes for a moment to control her emotions. Even in death, L Lawliet was still surprising her. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled. "I was just surprised is all."

"Now, Miss Yamaguchi," Roger started.

"Please, Mr. Ruvie," Miya interrupted. "Lawliet, not Yamaguchi." She wanted nothing more now than to take that name. It was L's last name; a part of his identity. It was a part of the person who had opened up to her and whom she had given everything to in return. But it wasn't just that. Lawliet was a symbol of the trust she and L had had, and that was perhaps what made her want to hang onto the name so desperately.

Roger nodded. "Right, Miss Lawliet. My apologies. What were your plans now?"

"I'm not completely sure, but L told me this would be a good place for Noah and me."

"And a good place it is," Roger agreed. "Miss Lawliet, may I ask you something?" Before waiting for her response, he went on and asked her what was on his mind. "Watari has been in charge of this orphanage since World War II and I've been good friends with him so I've helped out. However, I only stayed because Watari was my friend. I'm afraid I can't handle this on my own…" He looked around the room and Miya followed his gaze. It was then that she noticed that the white-haired boy was no longer in the room. "In fact, I don't even like children that much," Roger added.

Miya raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing working at an orphanage then?"

"As I told you before, I was helping out a good friend of mine. I know I can't abandon all these children now, which is why I'm asking for your help. Will you consider being the assistant manager of Wammy's House now that I've moved up to manager?"

"Excuse me?" Miya asked.

"You like kids, don't you?" Roger asked.

Miya shrugged uncertainly. "Yeah…"

"Please, I need the help. You could live here and help me at the same time. You'd be doing a good thing for the kids here. Not to mention you'd have a roof over your head."

Miya thought his offer over for a second. "Would it really be appropriate? I know you can't tell, but I'm actually pregnant. Would this be the best environment?"

"There's a hospital nearby, and all the kids here love when we have new additions to the orphanage."

Miya gave up. This guy sure was insistent. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad working at Wammy's for a little while. This was apparently a good environment for learning. Noah and the new baby could strengthen their minds and Miya could help children along the way. It actually didn't sound all that bad.

"Okay, Mr. Ruvie, you've got a deal," Miya told him. "I'll stay here and work as the assistant manager of Wammy's House."

"Wonderful!" Roger rejoiced. "Now, let me show you to where you'll be staying and then I can show you around."

* * *

It was a big enough apartment that Miya and Noah would be sharing. It was still on Wammy property but it wasn't connected to the actual to orphanage. It had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and a bathroom. It wasn't quite as nice as when they were living at headquarters, but it wasn't so bad.

"This is our new home?" Noah asked.

Miya nodded at him. "This is where Mr. Panda grew up when he was little. We're going to stay here and help out the other children."

"What's so special about them?" Noah asked bitterly.

"Noah, the kids here are orphans. That means they don't have mommies or daddies so they have to live by themselves here. You shouldn't be so mean. I taught you better than that."

Noah was still trying to be difficult. "I don't have a daddy either! It's not fair! And I don't wanna stay here!"

Miya sighed. Was Wammy's really the best place for them to settle down for now? Noah was unhappy with the situation but he didn't really understand what was going on. Miya shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. No, this was where they needed to be at the moment.


	30. Justice

**Chapter 30: Justice**

'Here they come,' Miya thought to herself as the doors to the Yellow Box Warehouse opened and the members of the task force she had once known so well stepped inside. Among them was Matsuda, whom Miya had come to miss in the past five years, Aizawa, Ide, and Light Yagami, a face Miya could barely bring herself to look at. Nearly six years of killing, and he was still roaming free. Six years of lies, deceit, and murder. As Miya glanced down to the boy crouched on the ground, his white hair visible from beneath the L mask that so poorly represented the great detective, she hoped that after all this time this case was finally coming to a close.

Miya had helped with Wammy's house for a few years, teaching many children that all seemed to somehow remind her of L. But of course, no one could remind her more of the great detective than his own son, Oxford L Lawliet. Now of course, Miya had been completely opposed to that name when L had suggested it, but after his death, and after seeing the face of her son who so greatly resembled him, she couldn't think of a more fitting title. He was so much like his father; Miya could see so much of L in him. He had raven hair and those big panda eyes, and Miya was fairly certain he was already smarter than her, even if he was only four. And it turned out a little brother had been exactly what Noah needed to bring him back out of the shell he'd built for himself upon L's death. He was so protective of Oxford, and the two were attached at the hip despite the fact that they were total opposites.

Miya missed L terribly, though she found that she was able to concentrate on being happy at Wammy's house. It was a safe place for her and her children, and she managed to make a few friends while she was there. Among them was Mello, whom she'd come to look at as a sort of little brother before he'd left, refusing to work with Near on the investigation. Miya, on the other hand, had somehow ended up on Near's side.

Mello had asked Miya, tried to convince her, to come with him and try to bring Kira down. Miya so desperately wanted to bring Light Yagami's reign as Kira to a close, but she knew that Mello's way was not the way to go. She absolutely could not risk her family's safety by working with the Mafia, and so Mello left on his own, and her contact with him was lost.

Miya had actually considered, for a long time, letting the Kira investigation be taken care of by the useless police force that was getting absolutely no where. She was feeling so defeated with the whole situation, and it just seemed easier to hope that one day the task force she had left behind would wake up and realize their new "L" was actually Kira. She also had hope that Mello would be able to succeed with his goal, but she knew his emotions and competitive feelings with Near would probably get in the way. Miya was just beginning to face the possibility of a Kira run world when Near, along with the United States government, created the SPK.

Miya was weary of joining this team of FBI and CIA agents, but they did seem to be the best bet in catching Kira. And when Near came to the conclusion that Light Yagami was Kira, Miya knew that she had to help. Miya couldn't say she was particularly fond of Near and his indifference toward the world, but she knew that with him on the case, Light Yagami might finally be brought down.

Once she had agreed to work with Near, Miya found herself completely engulfed yet again in the world of detective work. She was caught up on the situations with the task force, and reluctantly stood beside Near as he collaborated with the fake "L" on a few situations, as well as witnessed Mello's crazy kidnapping of the notebook. Miya found that Light was worse than ever, now seemingly uncaring of his own family members if they interfered with his goal. She was also questioning, yet again, how she did not die. She'd been sure when she left the task force that Light would have killed her, and was surprised again to be standing after Near's team was completely wiped out. The only thing she could assume was that either Light was unaware of her involvement, or he simply did not view her as any sort of threat to him.

Miya did see Mello once more, when he came to Near to retrieve his picture. Miya didn't get to speak to him, though she was shocked to see the scar that graced his face. She was even more surprised to hear the confirmation of the fake rule in the notebook. She'd cried herself to sleep that night, remembering how L had suspected that very thing. However, Miya soon found that she didn't have time to stop and think, as events got crazier if it were possible. After having to escape the headquarters of the SPK during a riot, along with hearing that Near had been contacted by Aizawa, who finally suspected the new "L", Miya realized that things were completely falling into chaos.

Soon, Miya found herself back in Japan, and was finally able to see her parents again. She filled in her mother, who offered to watch Noah and the grandson she'd never met, Oxford, whenever Miya needed her. Miya was so grateful for this, as finally things seemed to be pulling together. Near had a plan to bring down both Kira and the Kira working for him, and Miya was certain that this time it would work. So Miya waited anxiously for January 28th, 2013 to arrive, a date that would hopefully mark the end of Kira's reign, and the end of Light Yagami.

* * *

"Well Near, looks like I win." Light announced in a near whisper as Mikami counted down the seconds to everyone's deaths. It had been a long meeting already, with the thirty minutes of waiting Near had insisted upon before he would remove his mask, though it appeared it would end much sooner than anyone had thought. Despite the fact that near insisted that no one was going to die, Miya couldn't help but be doubtful. She knew the plan, she knew what was happing, but Light was obviously confident. He had basically confessed his guilt to the team, and Miya could feel her heart beating as the seconds turned over to forty.

Miya found herself covering her head in fear, along with the others in the room. Slowly, however, she raised it up to see that everyone was still standing. She didn't know why she had reacted that way, but she found herself sighing in relief.

"We're still alive…" Matsuda said in surprise, looking around at the other members of the force. "It's been over a minute and…we haven't died."

"Didn't I already tell you all that no one was gonna die?" Near said with no emotion. Miya noticed how surprised Light looked, and suddenly how afraid.

"But why?" Mikami wondered. "Why won't they die?!" He scribbled uselessly in his notebook, apparently still trying to wipe out the group. Miya was feeling more confident suddenly, and she stood up just a bit straighter, preparing herself for Light's downfall. "God, I did everything you told me!" Mikami yelled, right at Light.

"Raster, Gevanni, take him now!" Near commanded. The two men ran up to Mikami and seized him, throwing on the handcuffs as the notebook in his hands fell to the floor. "Gevanni," Near said, holding his hand out. "The notebook please." Gevanni handed it to him as he continued. "If you didn't believe me earlier than see for yourselves. I can confirm that the first five names are definitely the names of the SPK members." Miya gulped. Her name was on that list, and it so easily could have been the real notebook. The thought was just scary, but she shook it away as Near continued. "The second four are the names of your team. The only name that hasn't been written down is Light Yagami. If that weren't enough, Mikami also addressed you as God, and said he did what you asked him to. It's settled." Light stood in silence for a moment, and Miya could see the fear cross his eyes. She simply couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

"It's a trap!" Light finally screamed, pointing his finger at Near. "This whole thing is a setup! This is all part of Near's plan to frame me! Isn't it a little odd that no one died after having their name written in the notebook?! This proves it's a trap!"

"I believe I already told you that no one would die," Near responded, "Because I modified the notebook."

"No…you…" Light sputtered in disbelief. "That can't be. This is a setup," he said, now looking to Mikami. "I don't know this guy!" Mikami was obviously upset by his words as Aizawa placed a hand on Light's shoulder.

"Light, it's too late to deny it," he said calmly. "You know Near has won. Just a moment ago you were saying 'it looks like I win'. How much more of a confession do we need?"

"Light," Matsuda sighed, falling to his knees. "Why?" Miya felt a slight stab of pain. Matsuda was always so trusting, so optimistic, he really didn't deserve this. Light just stood there looking defeated until the handcuffs touched his wrist.

"Hh…stop it!" he cried, shoving everyone away before the cuff was in place. Miya gasped as he literally threw himself across the room, leaning against the wall like a mouse trapped in a cage. He was breathing heavily and looking around wildly as Near continued.

"Light Yagami," he said. "L, Kira. It's over. You've lost the game." Miya felt slight resentment that Near had called Light L, but the fact that Kira had lost overshadowed any of that. "Just a moment ago you proclaimed your victory, expecting us all to die," the white haired boy continued. "And to tell the truth, you might have actually won, and I would have lost. We ended up doing exactly what you expected us to, and altered the fake notebook in Mikami's possession. However, when I said before that we had modified the notebook, I was in fact referring to the real notebook as well as the fake. We only switched part of the fake notebook, but as for the real one, we replaced the entire thing. This notebook here is actually the real one," Near said, pulling it from his shirt.

"No! Impossible!" Light yelled in desperation. Miya kept her eyes locked on him as Near continued.

"We used the same kind of pen that Mikami used and copied his handwriting perfectly and made both the inside and the outside of our fake look exactly like the original. Gevanni was able to do it in a single night." Miya still couldn't believe that, though she'd witnessed it herself. "Of course, since I had touched the real notebook before coming," Near continued, "I've been able to see the Shinigami as well. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Shinigami. I'm Near." Miya couldn't see the Shinigami this time, and she was thankful for that. The situation was creepy enough without a death god hovering over her head.

"Some of the edges of this notebook's pages are torn," Near continued. "Tell me, if someone's name was written on a ripped of piece of paper would they still die? I thought so." Near added after an obvious confirmation. "I bet you were able to use that to your advantage. I wonder how many times you deceived us with this, and how many people you killed. Light Yagami, you are Kira." Miya was so glad to hear someone say those words. She couldn't believe the fight was almost over.

"You're mistaken," Near said after a moment, apparently to the otherwise silent Light. "This was all thanks to Mello." That caught Miya off guard. She turned her attention from Light to Near to listen. "I believe if I explain this much you'll begin to understand. Please take a look at this page of the notebook." Miya glanced down to see Takada's name, and then up again to see Light gasp in surprise.

"God…" Mikami said. "You told me you couldn't move freely! I had to make sure Takada was taken care of! Wasn't that my duty to you?!"

"You idiot!" Light screamed. "I gave you strict orders not to make any unnecessary movements until today!"

"It's all true," Near went on. "On the 26th, right after Takada's kidnapping, it was broadcast on the news. Mikami went to the bank."

"I'd been trailing him," Gevanni added. "I knew he went to the bank every month on the 25th. So it was odd, for someone so methodical, to go to the bank twice in two days. I followed Mikami to the bank as he headed for the safety deposit boxes. It was only at this time that he seemed concerned whether someone was following him or not. I got into his safe deposit box. Inside was the real notebook. Sure enough, Takada's name had already been written inside it."

"Do you understand now, Light Yagami?" Near asked. "You didn't realize that Mikami made a move on his own and wrote Takada's name in his notebook, because you had already killed her using a notebook clipping yourself. This was the event that made me consider the possibility of a fake notebook. We were able to stop you thanks to the efforts of one person. It was Mello who did it all. I bet Mello knew in his heart that working by ourselves, neither of us would be able to attain our goal and surpass our mentor, L. But, together, together we can stand with L! Together we can surpass L! And now, standing as one, we face the Kira who defeated L and with solid evidence beat him at his own game! Let's see you try and talk your way out of this one, if you can." Miya knew by the way Near was talking that Mello had died, and she found herself quite upset. But she kept it together and focused on Light, as now was no time to get upset.

Miya felt the hair on her neck rise up as Light began laughing. Slow and quiet at first, and then completely insane. "That's right," he breathed. "I am Kira. And what can you do? Kill me right here? Hear this; I'm not only Kira, but I am also, God of the new World! Kira has become law in the world we now live. He's the one who's maintaining order. I have become justice. The only hope for mankind. Kill me? Is that really the right thing to do?" Miya felt her stomach turn. He actually thought he was justice? That he was doing the right thing? "Since Kira's appearance six years ago wars have stopped," Light went on, "And global crime rates have been reduced by over seventy percent. But, it's not enough, this world is still rotten! With too many rotten people, somebody has to do this! When I first got that notebook all those years ago, I knew I had to do it! No, I was the only one who could! I understood that killing people was a crime. There was no other way. The world had to be fixed! A purpose given to me. Only I could do it. Who else could have done it and come this far? Would they have kept going?! The only one who can create a new world is me." The room was silent as everyone took in his insane words. Finally, Near spoke.

"No. You're just a murderer, Light Yagami. And this notebook is the deadliest weapon of mass murder in the history of mankind. You yielded to the power of the Shinigami and the notebook, and you have confused yourself with a God. In the end, you're nothing more than a crazy serial killer. That's all you are. Nothing more and nothing less." Miya nodded as Near said these words, all the while playing with the Kira puppet he had in his fingers.

"Near," Light said casually after some silence. "Here's some food for thought. That notebook you have, and the one that Aizawa brought from the Japanese task force headquarters. Are they both real?" Miya was confused. What was he getting at? "At the moment, only I know where the real notebook is." He began pacing away and Miya grew suspicious. "If you truly want to defeat Kira, as well as test the notebook that Aizawa's carrying, I guess you're gonna have to write down either my name, or Mikami's. It's the only way to see if it's real…or fake!" Light screamed, pulling out a pen. Miya gasped as someone yelled about a hidden piece of the notebook. She closed her eyes at the sound of a gunshot, and opened them again to see Matsuda standing before Light with a gun, Light clutching his wounded arm.

"Matsuda…" someone breathed as Miya tried to take in what had happened.

"Matsuda, you idiot!" Light screamed. "Who the hell do you think you're shooting at? Don't screw with me!"

"What was it all for then?" Matsuda wondered in tears. Miya felt her heart break for him as he continued. "What about your dad? What the hell did he die for?"

"My dad…you mean Soichiro Yagami? That's right Matsuda. In this world, all those earnest people like him who fight for justice, they always lose. You want a world where people like that are made to be fools? I know you understand so kill the others! Shoot them!" Miya was almost in tears watching Matsuda's face.

"You led your own father to his death," he choked out. "And now he's gone and you call him a fool?!" Blood was now dripping off Light's hand to the floor, and in a final effort he brought his hand up and tried to finish writing in his own blood.

"His blood!" Aizawa yelled as Matsuda screamed and let loose the shots in his gun. Miya didn't look away this time as Light fell to the ground.

"I'll kill him…" Matsuda breathed, storming over to him. "I'll kill him! He has to die!" Miya ran up to Matsuda as the others held him back, sending the shot into the ground beside Light's head.

"Damn you…" Light said as he struggled to get up. "What the hell is this? Mikami, what are you waiting for? Write down their names! Write them down!" He reached to Mikami as he yelled, "Kill them now!" He then rolled over as his breath became shallow and quick. Miya leaned over him as he spoke.

"Where are you Misa?" he wondered. "Where's Takada? Someone….what do I do now…?" The last part was barely audible, but Miya heard it.

"You die," she answered simply. "How's it feel?" Suddenly, from behind her, Mikami stabbed himself with his pen, adding more blood to the already bloody scene. Miya turned her eyes away from Light at the sound of his scream and the commotion that followed, turning them back to see Light heading for the door, somehow managing to drag himself through the pain.

"Wait, Light!" Matsuda yelled after him.

"He's getting away!" Aizawa yelled. "Light!"

"Mr. Aizawa!" Near said. "It's unlikely he has any more pieces of the notebook, and with those wounds, he's not going to go far. He'll stop running soon, even if we leave him alone."

"Near, I'm not gonna follow your orders," Aizawa said simply. Near gasped and looked up at him before twirling his hair.

"Very well then. I'll leave it up to you," he replied. And with that, everyone fled the room after Light. Miya stayed behind, tears now staining her cheeks.

"Did you see that L?" she whispered. "It's finally over."

* * *

"Almost there," Miya told her two boys as they walked along the path in the graveyard, tombstones scattered randomly around them. It was a quiet, hazy morning, with a slight wind that nipped at their cheeks. It was the day after Light's death, and Miya was still in shock. They'd found his body on a staircase, and found Misa's at the foot of a building, having apparently been unable to live without Light. Miya found this notion sad, but the idea that Kira was gone was a relief.

Miya had decided, with the case finally being over, that it was time to come see L. She knew that for the first time, she would be able to talk to the man she loved without Kira looming over them. For the first time, they would be able to share just the feeling of love between them, even if Miya couldn't physically feel his arms around her. Even so, she knew he was there, whenever she needed him, just like he'd promised.

"So mom, are we going to stay in Japan now then?" Noah asked curiously. He was so tall now, nearly reaching Miya's shoulder. His light brown hair hung messily just above his green eyes as he looked toward his mother expectantly.

"Yeah I think so," Miya answered with a nod. "We'll find a house near grandma and grandpa. You two would like that right?"

"Yeah," Noah answered. "What do you think Oxford?" He looked down at the small boy holding his hand who was roughly the same size Noah had been when L met him. He stood up straight as he walked, one difference he had from his father, looking around at his surroundings with a curiosity he always held in his eyes.

"I think that sounds nice," he answered in a much more thought out tone than the normal four year old. He looked around Noah toward his mother, gazing at her with his big eyes. "Are we almost there momma?" Miya looked forward and caught sight of the large stone cross that marked L's resting place.

"We're here," she said softly. The three approached the grave and stood there silently for a moment. Miya then turned toward Noah.

"Do you remember him sweetie?" she wondered. Noah looked back to the grave and nodded.

"I do," he said. "He used to tuck me in and let me eat ice cream with him. How could I forget Mr. Panda? The best dad ever." Miya smiled slightly before looking to Oxford, who was looking to the grave with obvious sadness.

"I don't remember momma," he said sadly. Miya moved around Noah and took his hand.

"You know he died before you were born baby," she said. "But I can tell you one thing. You are just like him."

"Really?" Oxford wondered, placing his tiny thumb to his lip.

"Yes," Miya chuckled slightly. "Do you boys mind if I have a minute alone here?" Noah nodded.

"Sure mom," he said, taking Oxford's hand. "Just one more thing." Noah dug into his jacket and retrieved a small panda that he'd gotten so many years ago at the zoo.

"Rocky," he said as he pulled it out. "Well, Ryuzaki I think is what I meant." Noah leaned down and placed the panda in the same place he had put the first panda at the funeral five years previous. He looked back up to see his mother's eyes glistening with tears.

"You okay mom?" he wondered. Miya nodded with a smile.

"Let's go Noah," Oxford said, tugging his hand. "Momma wants to talk to our daddy." Noah nodded and walked off toward a bench with Oxford as Miya kneeled down and brushed her fingers across the smooth stone.

"Sorry I haven't been here to visit," she said softly. "But, it's over. The case I mean. And you were right all along. Light Yagami was Kira." She sighed for a moment before looking over at Noah and Oxford, who were sitting on the bench and talking. "You'd be so proud of them," she continued, looking back to the grave. "Noah is so grown up, and Oxford is just like you." Miya smiled slightly. "Yes, I said Oxford, you win," she laughed. Her smile faded, slightly, as her eyes filled with tears.

"I miss you so much," she whispered. "I think about you every day, right when I wake up and just before I go to sleep. And you were right, you are here. I can feel it." She took a deep breath before placing a kiss on her fingertips and moving her hand to the stone, pressing her fingers to it gently. "I love you." She closed her eyes as the image of L's face filled her mind. It was as clear as if he was standing right in front of her, his deep eyes locked on hers. A gust of wind swirled around her, blowing her hair with it, and Miya could have sworn in the soft rustle of its path she could hear L telling her that he loved her too. She took a moment more and then stood up, looking down at the grave as she wiped her cheek.

"I'll come back soon," she said. "Noah and Oxford too." She turned and headed back for her two sons who were waiting patiently for her. She paused after a few steps, however, and turned back around. "I'll see you soon," she said simply. And she would, she knew that much. In her dreams tonight, and in her every thought. He was there. And as Miya turned back around and headed back to the family she and L had built, she knew that he was watching over them, watching over her. And she knew, above everything else, that he would always be there.

**The End**

* * *

A/N: And so now, _Out of His Element_ is officially over. We hoped you guys enjoyed reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it. Seriously, this is our favorite story that we have ever written together and we were sad it was done too. Thanks for all the support! We appreciate it! It inspires us to write more Death Note fanfiction!

So what we have planned out is Miya's time at Wammy's where she got to know Mello and Noah's difficult time, because as you read above, there was a major gap where lots of things happened. Although I want your opinion on it bacause if you guys aren't going to read it, I don't want to waste my time writing it. Also we have another one shot in the works called _A Gift From L_ and it's about Oxford's birth. Lastly is a Mello story similar to _Out of His Element_ with a whole new OC. So what do you guys think?


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